From the Shadows
by Marquard
Summary: A series of stories from the Shadows of Hyrule.
1. The Three Features

"_A long time ago... There was a man in this very village who had an eye they said could see the truth! Now usually, you have to train your mind's eye most strenuously to actually see the truth... But this fella, no, they say he had a different way of doing things... His house stood where the well is now..._"

* * *

_**The Three Features**_

The air is stagnant.

Filled with the sweet and striking smell of decay.

It's not an entirely unpleasant smell, believe it or not.

No...

It's not enough to make your stomach churn. It's not enough to send you running. But it's enough. It's enough to make you stand there and think.

_Ah... so this is what Death smells like._

And **that** is what makes you feel sick.

The thick air is damp, stale, and sticky. Yet somehow, you feel cold. Not the icy finger running down your spine kind of nonsense.

No...

This coldness is much deeper than that. It rests on your shoulders. Like a spiderweb-thin lace shawl. So very thin and light that it seems to merge with you. Sinking deeper and deeper into your skin, gaining weight as it buries into your flesh, before finally settling down like a cold steel casing around your bones.

Then a soft moan sounds, as if from far away.

Barely audible.

You're sure it's not you. This faint death rattle that echoes through the stone passage.

No...

You're so sure that it's not you, and yet... you pray that it is.

Because you know... you **know** that there is no one else there. You are entirely alone in the shadows.

If you were to stand within the corridor yourself, an uneasy darkness would settle around you.

If you were to stand there, you would feel the darkness embrace you like a soft blanket.

If you were there, you would feel all too aware of the emptiness. How the darkness would encase you.

Softly and silently smothering you.

Whispering...

Quietly promising terrible things...

This must be the realm of the dead, for there can be no hell greater than this.

Shadows and silence.

You would fade into the darkness. Too frightened to make a sound, fearful that you could no longer hear as well as see. Too frightened to move for fear that you are frozen. Too frightened to do anything for fear that you don't exist.

That is what true darkness is like.

Be grateful you are not in that terrible place, where even the goddesses fear to tread. Be grateful that you sit here listening to this wizened old woman tell you the story of a man's foolish wish to rival the power of the Triforce.

But what's more frightening... Yes, my child, even more frightening than the realm of the dead is that he succeeded.

** /\****/\****/\**

You know, of course, the story of the Hero of Time? How he traveled through time to defeat the Dark King Ganon?

Forgive me, of course you do.

Not a single dweller of the Surface doesn't know. But I digress...

Before the Hero of Time stood to face the Dark King, he needed help. All great men need help. That's what makes them great. The Hero of Time needed all the help he could get, so great was his trial.

He called upon the six sages. And with their power and Princess Zelda, the Hero of Time sealed Ganon.

What does this have to do with the man who spat in the face of the goddesses? Well you see, young one, like I said before, the Hero of Time needed all the help he could get.

The hero had great strength, wisdom, and courage. This I cannot deny. But even the greatest of men can be deceived by evil.

And so our sad tale begins...

**~{ 0 }~**

Once there was a man, who lived in this very village.

In the beginning, he was a humble and quiet man. He did not have much in the ways of strength or courage, but in wisdom he was unrivaled. And in his own way, he devoted his life to protecting the Light of the goddesses.

I do not know, nor do I care to learn, how he managed it. But after many years of... research, the man was finally able to complete his life's ambition.

An eye, plucked from his own head allowed the wielder to see no evil.

A face, that even the earth could speak no lies to.

And a stone, that would let you hear the very secrets of the earth.

But upon his success, the man grew prideful and vain. He claimed the Three Features were man's own Triforce...

He was even so foolish as to name it the _Trinity_. Feh!

The unity of the Three Features would grant the bearer godly power, or so he claimed.

I cannot deny that the Three Features hold great power, but that power came at too terrible a price...

But that is not a story for ears as short and young as yours. No... That story is for another day.

Regardless, the man fell deeper and deeper into the darkness he had tried to reveal to the world. And the darkness embraced him, promising terrible things. Consumed by his own shadow, the man was now empty.

Completely hollow.

So hollow that you could not see him past the darkness that had consumed him. He had turned into a monster of Darkness...the very thing he had set out to destroy.

One that no one could see.

The one-eyed beast plagued the world until he was finally stopped by the very things he had created. The Three Features.

Whether out of pity or recognition for all the man had done for Hyrule, the Shadow Sage did not kill the poor creature. Instead she sealed him within his own underground... research room. With water from the great Zora River aiding her, the Shadow Sage purified the land where a great evil had transpired.

But on still nights, if you stood by the old well and strained your ears, you could hear it. A faint beating so quiet that you might think it was your own heart. Some said that it was the Shadow Beast, still conducting his terrible rituals, trying to make a new Trinity.

**/\**

Oh my, fear not, my child.

The shadows cannot harm you.

The phantom is gone and will not come back...

* * *

I will always edit.

_They say the one-eyed beast had his hands removed, but after the Hero of Time destroyed their undead fleshy prisons their spirits left to rejoin their Master. And once again the Master had his right and left hands..._


	2. The Dark's Rites

_"With my flame, I will burn him to the bone! With my frost, I will freeze him to his soul!"_

* * *

**_The Dark's Rites_**

The Triforce...

Courage...

Wisdom...

Power...

A strong desire for power...

They had always been gifted. Their blood had always been purer, as evidenced by the strong magic they wielded. Perhaps it was because the Twinrova sisters were naturally balanced that they became so...unbalanced.

They tried -oh, did they try- to obtain the power of the goddesses. Enough so that hundreds of years passed, along with hundreds of thousands of lives. Even their own were sacrificed and used in their quest for power... And still their efforts were wasted.

It seemed as if they were destined to despair for the remainder of their long lives.

What were they missing? There could be no doubt that they were worthy enough. How couldn't they be? Blessed with wisdom, power, and courage, what could they be missing?

They had even been blessed with two bodies. Two bodies sharing one soul...

Ah...

And there it was.

They were missing a body...

The third body to complete their own Triforce.

One soul three bodies...

**/\****/\****/\**

It was easy enough to choose who would join their holy trio. The sole male born to their people every hundred years. The perfect vessel to ensure that they would gain their rightful place among the goddesses.

And soon they were three...

It was a simple task to obtain the child. Slaughter the mother, take the boy.

Mere child's play.

They instilled the hatred for those who drove their ancestors into this forsaken desert of nightmares into the third. The hatred of the searing wind that burned them to the bones, the frigid gale that froze their souls. The wind that always carried the same thing... Death. While they..._they -_those wretched Hylians- lavished and languished in the light; feasting on the fruit the Shadows painstakingly procured.

It was easy to raise the child to right the wrongs that had been inflicted upon their ancestors.

Yes... Far too easy.

And then, the child was ready.

Ready to claim what was rightfully theirs. Ready to lead them out of the shadows...

But he was not ready.

For all their work, for all their preparation, for all their courage and wisdom and power...

The Triforce had deemed them unworthy.

Unworthy...

Banished to the final resting place of the spirits of their ancestors. Exiled to live out the remainder of their hollow lives in the darkness. To be imprisoned in the shadows of Hyrule for all time...

**~{ 0 }~**

Keh heh heh! As if that would stop them.

They had been confined to the shadows since the beginning. Their only purpose had been to serve the light. And their tireless effort had not gone unnoticed.

One of the goddesses had taken pity on them. She blessed them with her power. It seemed only fitting that the goddess their ancestors once served would acknowledge them.

And soon they rose to power once again. Exposing Hyrule for what it truly was without the power of the shadows - a barren wasteland.

The pure bliss!

The justice!

It was just so right!

...But the other goddesses were not so kind, sending forward champions of courage and wisdom -ruining everything. The Triforce had once again, beat the shadows back to their place behind the light.

**/\**

**_The destruction_**

**_The sorrow_**

**_The despair_**

* * *

For those of you who can connect the beginning and the end of this chapter, I salute you.

_Boing-oing! Did you know? The Twinrova sisters are said to be rather conniving. They had tricked a "General of Darkness" and a "Sorceress of Shadow" into doing their evil bidding, only to sacrifice them later! Scary, Rites?!_


	3. A Demon's Face

"_A mask that contains the merits of all masks, seems to be...somewhere in this world...Could this mask's dark powers be as bad as Majora?"_

* * *

**_A Demon's Face_**

Laughter echoes from the little child's mouth.

"Tee hee hee! Let's play! Will you play...with me?"

...

"No? You're a boring kid." The child's mask looks at the floor as he kicks the dirt forlornly. "...Everyone has gone away."

**/\/\/\**

He looks up, "Oh? You want to know?"

The mask the child wears tilts to the side.

"You want to know do you?"

He laughs again and dances away, alighting on a large tree stump that could easily rival the size of the Great Deku Tree. The great stump acts as a grand stage among the lush green grass the spread as far as the eye can see.

"So... you'll play?" He waits for an answer expectantly, only to have his gaze fall to the floor once again. "...You're a coward." His head snaps up, "Well, let's do something else. I'll tell you what I know..."

The gray light bathes the child in quiet silence, before it is broken by another quick laugh, "Ha ha! But then you have to play a game with me!"

He giggles and performs a joyful back-flip, "Tee hee hee!" The little masked child claps his hands together,

"Are you ready?"

**~{ 0 }~**

In a time before The Surface existed, there was light and darkness on the surface world below. The darkness was not the deep evil darkness that you know today. No... back then it was a much simpler thing.

To protect the light, the shadows kept vigil constantly. Night and day, it never left the light. For what is light without darkness? What is darkness without light?

And so, in the beginning they existed happily under the endless sky.

_Here the child laughs and dances in a quick tight circle._

But it was not meant to be.

The powers of light are strong and true. But the powers of darkness are tempting and enchanting. Those who devoted their lives to ensure that the light would burn brightly forever, sank in the blackest shadows.

The ancient tribe that had always stood at the side of the light was consumed by the shadows that they lived in.

_The child beckons. Gleefully, he starts to spin, arms outstretched and head thrown back._

Oh yes, soon the ancient tribe embraced the darkness like an old friend. And why not? The darkness had been their only companion for so long, even though the light would tell them this was not so. Tee hee hee! The light was blinded by its own brilliance! Blinded by the prosperity that it had created for The Surface! Blinded by the _good_ it was doing!

But within the shadows the light cast, the darkness grew thicker. Falling into the realms of terrible evil and malevolence.

_The child stops his frenzied dance in the gray gloom and jumps off the stage. His mask leering with its all-seeing eyes. _

The ancient tribe committed terrible crimes; crimes that even the Light could not forgive. But still they pressed on further into the darkness, trying to find a way to seal the evil in the realm for good... Hee hee hee!

And find a way they did.

_He nimbly flips back onto the stage, landing in a crouched kneeling position, looking as if he was about to be knighted._

The dwellers of the shadows were able to harness a great power, a power to rival those of the goddesses. The power of a hero. The ancient tribe carved off a face. A familiar face imbued with the power to change the course of history time and time again. An oh so... familiar face... the first face. The first hero...

_Slowly, the child raises his masked face, as if he has been told to rise by his king._

But the spirit used to create this face was far too pure for the dark magic used in its creation. The color was drained and the marks of dark magic etched their way into its skin.

_He traces a small hand over the engravings in his own mask._

The friends of the spirit were slaughtered by the very power that had saved them so long ago. What kind of...people were they? I wonder... Did those people... think of the spirit... as a friend?

_Pausing, the child's mask cocks to the side before starting again._

The spirit within was like a demon. The true face... what kind of... face was it? I wonder... The face under the mask... Is that... the true face?

The face had been created to make the world right. To bring happiness. The right thing... what is it? I wonder... if you do the right thing... does it make... everybody... happy?

_The mask turns quickly from side to side as the child shakes his head._

The face was happy. It played the game so well! I wonder... what makes you happy... does it make... others happy, too?

_The child stands slowly, slightly slouched as he asks his last question._

You're the bad guy. And when you're bad, you just run. That's fine, right?

**/\**

The child claps his hands together and bows, "That's enough for today."

"Are you ready to play now?"

"Let's play tag! You're it!"

* * *

In Japan, tag is called "onigokko" where the person who is proclaimed "it" is the demon who must chase the other players.

_Who is this mysterious child? Well he certainly is not from Hyrule. He's got a few screws loose if you ask me. Rather inclined to_ _**luna**_cy_,__ seeing as he lives in his own dream world far above the clouds._


	4. Beginning the End

"_You and I will surely meet again someday."_

* * *

_**Beginning the End**_

The old woman looked up at the clear cloudless sky. The air was warm and still. Birds were chirping merrily and flitting about. It was a perfect day.

She let out a low sigh and slowly turned to shuffle back inside. There would be no point keeping watch out here; besides, the seal needed to be kept intact.

The promised day should be soon. She wasn't sure how much longer she could hold out. Her body creaked and groaned as she alighted the steps. It was almost hard to believe that there was once a time she could have climbed these stairs with an easy grace. But now... now...

A slight breeze ruffled the trees, bringing with it the smell of grass. Out of habit, the old woman touched the blue bangle on her right wrist.

It had been so long...

**/\/\/\**

The doors at the top of the moss covered dais were slightly askew, and she could feel the subtle presence of magic eking out from behind them. How things had fallen into disrepair.

The woman chuckled at the thought as she sat down slowly, the red hood billowing around her.

The single beam of sunlight that cut through the trees above warmed her tired bones. The long braid that hung next to her face swung as she slowly inhaled and exhaled. The swinging motion calmed her, it focused her on the task at hand, it helped her pass the time as she waited.

It was quiet in the chamber, as it always was. She had long since grown accustomed to it. Still she could not help the feeling of anticipation that welled in her heart every time she heard an unusual sound. And even still she could not help the crushing feeling of desperation when she realized it was just her old ears playing tricks on her.

However, she would not falter. They would come; she was sure of it. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but they would come. And she would meet them when they did.

The faint sound of the wind echoed around the chamber. The old woman chuckled to herself, chastising her ever worried heart. Patience... Patience... Patience...

She focused on the swinging pendulum of hair before her, trying to calm her mind. Her shoulders relaxed and her hand sat loosely in her lap as she tried to conserve her energy...

The trees above rustled and shook. She could feel dark magic in the air.

The old woman didn't dare believe it. Could it be? .

Slowly she climbed down the steps and made her way out of the temple. It had been so long since she had left this place. She cursed her aged form.

Had she been younger, she would have been able to rush to the goddess's side, but alas time had taken that away from her. Chuckling, she lost herself in nostalgic memories.

**~{ 0 }~**

The girl looked as she had when the old woman had last seen her... but then again. As she approached, she saw that this was not so.

Her heart ached.

The girl was much younger... so young. She was still a child. Not yet the Goddess that the old woman once knew.

"Ah..."

The girl sat up slowly. With a slightly wide-eyed expression, the child from the clouds looked around in wonder at the ruins. It only took an instant for the girl to notice her. As the honest eyes looked at her, the old woman felt a prick of sadness touch her own eyes. She bowed over in an attempt to hide the elongated tear that ran down her cheek.

"W-where am I?"

The old woman blinked furiously, her eyes hidden behind the headband she wore.

_We cannot cry._

The silence had apparently carried on too long for the girl's liking for she spoke again, "Who are you?"

_Ah... that's right... This is our first meeting._

Again the old woman's heart felt an aching pain as she spoke, "The traveler descended from the clouds above. I welcome you, child of fate."

She raised her head to look into her eyes.

There were still trials for them to face. The corners of her mouth twitched in an attempt to smile reassuringly. But whether or not she actually smiled, she did not know. The old woman chuckled, "Tell me, what is your name?"

"...Zelda."

**/\**

_Do not despair..._

_You and I will meet again..._

_See?_

* * *

A (hopefully) more lighthearted chapter.

_I overheard this... pay attention to those involved in each story and their origins. There is a connection... or at least that's what I've heard._


	5. House of Dead

_"Here is gathered Hyrule's bloody history of greed and hatred..."_

* * *

**_House of Dead_**

The rain started to fall from the gray sky. It seemed as if the sky was always gray here. The sound of a bell echoed off the twilit walls of the graveyard. The faint sweet chime resounded under the full moon.

A small group made its way up the path that wound between the tombstones. With each step they took the bell chimed once more.

If you heard the pure sound in a bright and grassy field as you sat under a tree; with the sunlight dappling your face as a warm breeze tousled your hair. You might be inclined to think the bell was the sound of a fairy flitting by.

But here in this dark place that reeked of sorrow and despair, it sounded anything but good...

The bell rang again as the group approached the great tombstone at the far end of the graveyard.

A crow alighted on the wooden railing of the ledge above them. Its beady black eyes stared down at them with a deep intelligence. The group stopped before the crow, and the ringing of the bell ceased.

The cloaked leader at the forefront of the group held out a hand, and from the outstretched palm a blue sphere of light formed.

Magic swirled, and a silvery blue stairway of moonlight appeared, looking as if it was an image from a dream. The leader took the first step onto the magical stairway and the square runes that decorated the sides pulsed with light.

The six hooded figures alighted the stairs, which disappeared softly into the gray moonlight when they dismounted. The figures bowed their heads slightly in respect as they passed the crow. The great black bird kept its eyes trained on them, and watched silently as they passed.

**/\/\/\**

The cavern that led to the temple stood before them. The wind moaned and engulfed them in an warm embrace as they stepped into the entrance chamber. The torches that dotted the room were unlit. But as the group moved forward, flames sprang up one after another casting darker shadows in the dim room.

As they neared the doors that held the All-Knowing Eye, the last torch was lit. The runes etched in a circular pattern on the floor glowed faintly and the door rumbled as it opened, allowing the group to pass without pause.

The hallway was dark and damp. The air was stagnant. Filled with the sweet and striking smell of decay.

An uneasy darkness fell around the group, but still they pressed on. They turned at the end of the hallway only to be met with a pit of blackness. There was no evidence of a bottom, and the other side was too far to jump.

Undeterred the six figures stepped forward, and a bridge of soft pale blue light appeared under their feet. The glow of the runes cast light into the shadow of the pit, and still no bottom was evident.

As the group traversed the bridge, a faint moaning echoed up to them from below. One of the members visibly flinched, for the moan had sounded like a dying man's curse.

Another member placed a reassuring hand on the other's shoulder. "Do not look into the darkness, or it will blind you." The frightened and youngest member nodded and proceeded forward, trying to ignore the feeling of thousands of eyes crawling over and under skin.

**~{ 0 }~**

The group moved on, passing through a ghoulish looking wall that promised sweet and gruesome things to them as they fazed through the illusion. They entered a large antechamber that was far too large and open after being confined to the claustrophobic hallway. The space felt too big... as if there was something waiting in the darkness. There was a pregnant pause, as if some great beast lurked on the fringes of their perception, threatening to skulk ever closer...

All at once blue flames lit the room, dancing merrily within the brain cavities of six skull set on spikes. The skulls grinned happily at the large statue of a bird that stood in the center of their merry circle.

Passing through another wall the group now stood before a rusted metal door. Thick iron bars blocked the doorway until the leader raised a hand. The bars slid away and the door opened.

The sick sweet smell of stagnant air permeated from the room, mixed with the harsh metallic smell of blood.

The youngest member gagged, knees buckling. It would do no good to show weakness now. The youth fixed red eyes upon the doorway. The six hooded figures entered the small room. The darkness was almost inviting after being exposed to the large antechamber.

There was a noise, almost like a hurried _tap-tap-tap_ of fingernails across the floor._  
_

The faint skritching sound scuttling on the floor was immediately silenced. Followed by the sound of teeth crunching on bone and a horrid slurping, sucking, and smacking sound.

"How you have fallen..." the leader said to the crouched pale _thing_ before them. A heavy sigh of tiredness and disgust, "To think one of our leaders would stoop to eating rats."

A deep-throated raspy chuckle filled with mirth came from the mottled lump of flesh before them, "There are no rats in this place..." It grinned, revealing its teeth to be stained with congealed green blood.

The astringent sour smell of decayed flesh filled the air, wafting from the speaker's mouth. Whatever had been consumed... had probably died long ago.

The leader of the group lowered her hood, revealing the face of a stern looking woman. The deep wrinkles carved into his face showed his revulsion.

"So..." The _thing_ in the cell rasped, "forgive me. I have not had visitors... in many years..." Voice cracking, the thing smiled, revealing sharp and pointed teeth, what few of them were left. "To what do I owe the honor? Here to... _ask_ for my help?" It rubbed the scars that laced its body with thin nail-less fingers, seemingly unconscious that it was doing so.

The woman shook her head shortly, "No... we are past trying to redeem you. You will be re-assimilated."

"My, my... how poetic..." a hoarse chuckle, "to be used as raw material for one of my own experiments." Yellow eyes flashed red with a deep-rooted anger. "Why are you using _our _research? The glorious research that you deemed too _powerful_... too _sinful_ to use?"

The woman pulled her hood back over her head, "This is just a courtesy call, I do not have to divulge any information to you."

A hacking snort, followed by the sound of spit leaving a mouth. The saliva hit the floor in front of the leader's feet. A whole yellowed Hylian fingernail lodged in the pale yellow slime mixed with green blood.

"My apologies..." the voice from the darkness said, "but you really should think of removing all the fingernails first. Terribly hard to get out of my teeth."

"I"ll keep that in mind."

Out a sick curiosity, the youngest member raised the sole lantern that illuminated the otherwise dark room. How they wished the meal hadn't been revealed.

The sickly purple-gray hand was still twitching, writhing on the floor as green blood gushed out. There was a faint scrabbling sound as the fingernails clawed at the floor.

"So what task will my poor tortured corpse be forced to into? As long as it's not one of those," a bent finger pointed at the half consumed mound of rotting flesh that sat before him, "I don't really care."

"Then you'll be pleased to know," she turned and made her way past her companions to exit the room, "you will be used for the abomination that your _Master_ coveted most."

The creature in the darkness sprang up, revealing just how malnourished it was. Bones stuck out in odd places. Some because they had never properly healed. Others from simple lack of food.

A gleeful glint danced in the sagging pallid flesh that was once a face.

"No... You jest... It... it worked?!"

"You will be the one to guard the treasure that allows one to walk through the sky."

The thing dropped to writhe on the floor, cackling, "Ke ke ke... surely you can't mean those decrepit old boots! They're useless!"

"This temple will be sealed. We cannot allow any more of your kind to desecrate the shadows. This is a holy place!"

The cackling stopped, "...holy? This is not a holy place. It's a shit hole that our kind have been forced to hide in for eternity. Look around you." A blue-white hand missing the third section of a pinky finger gesticulated about the cell, "Can you not smell death? Can you not hear the spirits? Can you not see the truth? We are a source of shame and disgrace. Something to be hidden away in the dark recesses of Hyrule." The sounds of screeching reverberated painfully off the stone walls. "We are expendable!"

But the group of six had already left, the bars sliding into place behind them. The prisoner grabbed the bars, scrabbling with nail-less fingers, "We are not shadows! We are the void! We are nothing to them! Nothing!"

The door slammed shut, leaving only silence.

When the ritual was complete the thing in the cell was unrecognizable.

The mouth with its few missing teeth had been an easy fix. A simple task to rip out the jaw and replace it with a new one. This time larger, with huge squarish teeth. The extra weight caused the monster's spine to bend forward in a terrible hunch that rendered it almost immobile. The only way to walk was very uncomfortable. Spine complete straight, face pointed toward the ceiling, as if it were merely looking at the stars. Sharp nubs that were once arms, curled up in a fetal position when the _thing_ stood still. The nail-less hands were amputated to be used for raw material.

**/\**

A small Floormaster scuttled across the grimy floor of the cell.

It was missing the third section of the pinky finger as well as its nails.

At least the fingernails wouldn't get caught in anyone's teeth this time.

* * *

_Lots of hands in many places, but not on his arms, oh no. Even his Master's hands were reassimilated. I guess it's up to him and the right hand man to lend a **hand **to their Master..._


	6. Of the Darkness

"_...shadow..."_

* * *

_**Of the Darkness**_

To make a Shadow, thou must hast a pure spirit.

A spirit, pure and full of light.

Wherefore dost thou require such?

The brighter the spirit, the darker the Shadow.

Argal, mark my words or be thy own harbringer of demise.

If thy spirit is clouded with darkness, thy Shadow will be no stronger than the shadow that lies at thy feet.

If thy spirit remains untainted by the evils around thee, the creation of a Shadow is but a simple matter.

Prithee, 'tis not wise to make more than one Shadow. Should thou do so, thou risks dividing the power of the Light. 'Tis also ill-advised to make a singular Shadow with many spirits. For if those spirits stand divided the Shadow will grow weak.

The Darkness -once harnessed- can be used For The Light.

**/\/\/\**

Never forget the true source of Shadows. The power of destruction, hatred, rage, sorrow, and despair will lead to thy own demise.

Light will cast a Shadow. 'Tis a rule that cannot be broken.

No matter where the Light travels, the Shadow will follow.

Take heed that the only way to defeat a Shadow is to destroy the Light.

If the Light dies, so dost the Shadow become undone.

But the Shadow never truly dies, yea by the sword of evil's bane. It will recede back into the Darkness from whence it came.

And Darkness is something entirely different from the Shadows.

**~{ 0 }~**

Shadows are a part of the Light. They cannot be separated.

But Darkness is an entity all on its own.

The Light can dispel Darkness. For a time.

But Darkness is an entity gifted, or haply cursed, with a long life.

'Tis the true source of Shadows. The deepest recesses of the mortal heart where ugly shameful things lurk, waiting to arise. For once a heart is corrupted, the spirit tainted, the soul tarnished -it becomes impossible to purify.

Once dirtied, no matter how thou scrubs, 'twill never be the same.

The Darkness is not something to be feared, however, 'tis something to be relished.

To live in a world of only light.

One would surely go mad and blind.

**/\**

If nothing else, remember this:

_Shouldst thou grow bold and vain_

_The Darkness is not a place to play._

* * *

I promise to never use Early Modern English again, for your sake and my sanity. If you require a...translation the only thing I can provide you with is the wonderful world of Google and the words "Shakespearean English".

_Remember my words: Darkness and Shadow are not the same..._


	7. Without Any Mercy

"_You and I, we're bound by a thread of fate._"

* * *

_**Without Any Mercy**_

My, my, my... Do you really want to dredge up something so positively _ancient_? It's terribly old news, really! Are you quite sure you wouldn't rather hear about something... _anything _else?

Perhaps I could spin you a tale of my ravishing beauty; a tale that is sure to leave you begging for more. Or perhaps, about what I did to your comrades? They begged so deliciously for death. I never tire of it... the things you people say when you're knocking on Death's door. Shocking really... Heh heh heh. And the things you people will _do_! Well... let's just say your lot... if nothing else can be somewhat... _creative_. A trait that I pride in myself! You should be honored.

Ah... Well now you've gone and spoiled the mood. And it's been so long since I've had the pleasure of entertaining guests.

Hm... Still... It hardly seems fair, for one of my position to be so uncouth. Especially since you're still requesting so adamantly.

Oh _yes_... I can tell. Even with your tongue in the belly of my minions, I can sense it. Your thirst for the knowledge of the darkest kind. Ha ha, very well then. I'm not so cold-hearted as to refuse such a heartfelt plea.

Where shall I begin~

**/\/\/\**

You know the saying about the Cucco and the egg, I presume? Yes?

My existence is something akin to that, although far more impressive than a mere Cucco or an egg. A much more befitting comparison would be of a... hm...

...

...

Well now... I can't think of anything worthy enough to be compared to one as glorious as myself. How cruel the world of the goddesses is, but... ah... such is life.

Could you imagine anything in this meager world to compare to my wonderful form? Such perfection cannot be compared. It just wouldn't be fair!

There is nothing! _Nothing!_ Nothing that can compare to my exquisite form! Should you ever be so lucky enough to witness my ultimate transformation you would surely agree. Yes...

Hmph... It's true that awful hunk of scrap metal called the 'Goddess Sword' bears _some_ resemblance. If you squint and turn your head sideways with your head up a Loftwing's... But really! What a tacky name, don't you agree? So presumptuous of that horridly inferior thing! I wouldn't even call it a sword really... more like an unrefined block of tin.

Well, even if there exists the most minuscule of resemblances -which there isn't I assure you- that sword falls far below my grace and beauty. Tell me it's not so... hm?

I dare you.

**~{ 0 }~**

But still... I must lament my misfortune. My time here grows ever so boring in this dreary world with its _peaceful_ days. I'd so much rather hear the screams of torment from those lowly beings; burning in the merciless light they worship. Ha ha ha... It sends a tickle of pleasure up my spine just thinking about it...

Oh? I've departed from my tale, forgive me. I'm actually not privy to the mundane everyday acts of the shrew Hylia, nor do I care to be. Far too boring. Ugh, could you imagine? No, no, no, no, no given her way she'd wish away all the Darkness that my master tries so hard to help along.

Heh heh heh, thank the _goddesses_ that she can't use the power which was bestowed to her. Oh the gleeful irony of it all! Ha ha ha ha ha! The goddesses are true imbeciles of the greatest degree. Either that or they _must_ wish for the same things that we do! Else they would never have left this world under the dominion of such pitiable creatures.

Such truly pitiful creatures. They have no idea what they're missing. The pure rush of battle, the feeling of death all around, the joy of complete and utter chaos... I simply can't wait!

**/\**

Ah... but I'm afraid I've indulged you for far too long. You're not even listening anymore are you?

Hm... What a shame. I suppose my tale wasn't riveting enough to hold your attention. Especially since you had to go and die right in the middle of it.

Oh well~ it's your loss.

* * *

I apologize for the rambling flamboyant style of our narrator.

_According to the grapevine, Demise's sword was born not only of Darkness but also from the Shadows._


	8. Shhhhh

"Y_ou see them around the Minish Woods, right? They're big and dumb? Well, they're also rich! Beat one up for some quick cash!_"

* * *

_**Shhhh...**_

I... don' like... them. They is... very... mean. When I try go... buy potions... they... always scream. It is so... noisy. I don' like... it.

Master... is kind... for me. He is... never... scare. He always... give to me... many nice somethings. If I is... very good... sometimes Master... give to me... a pretty glow lantern.

The... pretty glow lantern... is very good. I am... use it to... go at night. I is... seeing... in the night. Pretty glow lantern is very good.

Master... is a good Master. Master... ask me... and I go. He give to me... pretty glow lantern... and I go.

No one... ever give to me... a pretty glow lantern. Only... Master.

He is a good Master.

**/\/\/\**

Master have many... friends. He tell me to... say hello... to Master's friends.

I is always... finding Master's friend. But Master's... friend... is... not good.

Master's friend... is not good... he is very mean. I think Master know... his friend is not... good. Master... is angry with Master's friend... and he is very mad.

I think Master's friend is... a not good friend. But Master still plays with... Master's friend.

Master gets very angry when Master's friend... is come to Master's house. Master's friend... need to call to Master. Master's friend is... **rude**.

I learned the new word... two tomorrows ago!

**~{ 0 }~**

Master is a good... friend. He tells I... to go to say hi to Master's friend. Sometimes... because I is good... and I wants Master to be happy.

I give to Master's friend... many pretty shinies. I like the pretty shinies. But Master's friend likes to them too. It's nice to see. Master's friend... is very happy when he gets pretty shinies.

I is a good Moblin. I want be Master's friend! If Master's friend... is happy, Master is happy. That's meaning of... friends.

**/\**

But I don' want... Master to know.

It's a secret to everybody.

Shhhhhhhh...

* * *

_Boing-oing! I overheard this: This chapter is more of an extra for hardcore fans who have played the first game... Whatever that means._


	9. Speakers of the Dead

"_This statue's one-eyed gaze pierces into your mind..._"

* * *

_**Speakers of the Dead**_

They'll hear us. They can't hear us. Our words are heard in secret. What are we? We're not making any sense! There is mysterious power in these notes. No one cares about a relic like us! We overheard this! Just keep talking~just keep talking~ The goddess' chosen guardians. Look! Draw us into the infinite darkness that absorbs even time. Tee hee hee hee! Only 0:00 remaining! Never be allowed to threaten the world again. Sometimes friends are the worst enemies! Oh oh oh do we think they'll come talk to us? ...contain all the evil power in the void of the Realm... Oh my! We must protect this beautiful land of Hyrule. Please come talk to us! The power of the heart. We can hear the spirits whispering. We must teach what we have learned to those who come after us. They and I will surely meet again someday. Something... The strength of the Triforce of Power enabled him to become a mighty, evil king, but his dark ambitions were not satisfied. It's incredibly boring! We are the last resident of this poor village. ...sure... oh! ...A mysterious rod was handed down from the people of the sky... Look for the eye of truth... We're telling us they can't hear us... Boing-oing! There must be someone who can hear us ...transformed Hyrule into a world of monsters. Here lie the souls of those who swore fealty to the Royal Family of Hyrule...They swore allegiance to the King of Hyrule. It's a secret! If we would seek the sacred triangle, listen well... Who can listen to the voice of the earth. We've been waiting. Survivor! How we have fallen. We can speak only to those who seek the truth. We owe it all to you, kid! Doesn't that make us a part of the shadows too? Hee hee hee! We are a being of this age. Let's watch! We found it! How about it? Watch and wait. The legend came true. That's what we are saying. Words! We crave words! See what is hidden in the darkness. Patience. But we're only 400 years old! We couldn't leave anything behind...there was so much to tell. We can see into other people's minds. We cannot see! We've seen your fine work! Let us see! The nature of the task given to our tribe. We're counting on you! Watch over our spirits in their eternal slumber. Speak! Once every 100 years, a special child is born unto our people. A childish mind will turn to noble ambition. We want to know! The one who holds the Triforce of Courage...They want to know! Will we help us look? Can't they see? Someone must stay behind... Let us speak! Many thought we had died out! Passed down through time. Times have changed! Our voice must be heard! We gather and wait. Heed our words! They can't hear. It's become an awful place... They can't see! Please... We really messed up... Listen! Will we do it? We are going to cry... we cannot be seen, heard, nor can we speak. Not longer part of this world.

Silence.

**/\/\/\**

_We...we...know...know...all...all..._

_Stand...stand...before...before...us...us...and... and...we...we...shall...shall...listen...listen... _

_Only...only...those...those...with...with...a...a. ..pure...pure...heart...heart._

_Can...can...hear...hear...our...our...voices...voi ces..._

_Come...come...forward...forward..._

_Heed...heed...the...the...knowledge...knowledge... of...of...the...the...past...past..._

**~{ 0 }~**

_...rest...ground__..._watchful. 

___..._useful_..._in_..._

___..._all-seeing_..._the_..._all_..._the_..._or... 

___..._is_..._the... 

___..._time_..._and_..._while_...forms...rest...only..._  


___The...the...carried...the...our..._

___...you...now...more...tomb...for...souls...rest._

...exists...with...can...words.

...face...the...our...

...you...face...learn...from...of...past.

...of...face...unforeseen...kind.

...the...not...we...methods...this...created...loo k...the...that...holds.

...we...to...hold...and...if...with...care.

...of...lie...power...three.

...the...the...or...evils.

...of...has...to...course...world.

...have...hope...light...that...bring...true...

But...fail...far...willing...to...to...

We...all...good...into...

So...have...continue...from...even...

We...have...sacred...time...

...watch...great...the...stand...first...the...the ...

...are...born...and...

...are...the...all...the...life...seek...while...m adness...dance...darkness.

...were...of...power...

Three...harmoniously...the...

...for...of...

The...known...Gerudo...a...that...mighty...

They...protect...with...strength.

...now...the...once...people...the...they...the... Nayru...light...world.

...now...the...the...were...warriors...to...light. ..darkness...reach.

...tribes...what...known...Sheikah.

...human...easily...

It...the...from...side.

...of...years...have...in...plains...heart.

...doing...made...path...to...

...colors...deepest...vibrant...their...be...

...are...of...

The...the...the...

...belong...

...desert...basic...to...live...

From...they...forsaken...and...everything...those. ..forsaken...

...the...they...ones...to...help...survive...or... to...and...

Now...my...

...legends...for...

...we...people...shadows.

...kind...longer...this...do...death...our...

...is...as...our...

We...gone...world.

...are...as...there...and...darkness...will...

We...our...protect...from...of...

...do...my...

...are...

We...

**/\**

_We...we...are...are...the...the...remainders...rem ainders...of...of..._

_All...all...who...who...have...have...walked...wal ked...upon...this...this...land...land..._

_In...in...the...the...shadows...shadows...for...fo r...all...all...time...time..._

* * *

To those of you wondering about my repetitive words, writing an echo is difficult...please use your imagination. This took a surprising amount of time to write (possibly too long)

First I have to say to the anonymous reviewers, I hate littering my chapters with any real world presence. If possible, please consider getting a fanfiction account so I never have to resort to Author's Notes. I dislike them for my own stories.

Regardless, I'd like to do a quick shout out to my anonymous reviewers . The rest of you can skip this part (if you're still reading that is)

To Anonymous Reviewer_ Someone_. I hope your comment of "creeeeepy" is a compliment... if not, I take it as one anyway :)

To _James Birdsong: _I must apologize. It took me a while to figure out how to approve the anonymous comments. I hope you are still reading this fanfiction and are enjoying it to the fullest.

Last, but most certainly not least _Ashlee S: _Thank you so much for your wonderful reviews. You are, for the most part, why I decided to write this over-sized Author's note of gratitude. Really thank you so much for taking the time to review every chapter. I can't even begin to address all of your questions and comments in this spot (I've already taken too much space). I hope the previous chapter was lighthearted enough for you at the very least.

To all of you reviewers, please think of getting an account. I take the time to personally respond to any and all reviews, and take your comments quite seriously. I'd create a new email account for you to personally message me, but why go to the trouble of a third party middleman when fanfiction does all the dirty work for me?

And to all of my ghost readers I hope you continue to enjoy _From the Shadows._

_In the Legend of Zelda games there's always the rule of three. Three, six, nine... __But for this chapter pay attention to the rule of three especially..._


	10. A Final Request

"..._I accepted life as the hero..."_

* * *

**_A Final Request_**

_He sits on the ground, bleeding._

I'm begging you... Please.

_A dark gash splits his middle, staining the shirt beneath the armor. Whatever color it once was, it is now a deep crimson._

There's not much time for me in this world. Your people are my last hope.

_He pulls his fallen helmet closer, seeking comfort in the damaged headpiece. _

There is so much left for me to leave to the future. The challenges I faced, the battles I won, the courage I showed.

_The man turns his head weakly, revealing a gaping head wound. Blood gushes forth, drenching the right side of his face. His eye is closed, whether from injury or to keep the blood from entering his eye, it is hard to tell. He leans his head against the boulder behind him. Pathetically, he groans as he settles down._

Everything is lost to the flows of time.

_He closes his other eye. The chest plate heaves up and down with each short and shallow breath. The sounds of battle. The yells and roars of men and monsters. The smell of leather and iron still cling to the air. Boots squelching through mud. The quiet airy sound of an instrument. _

_A strange cacophony of sound, so far away. _

_Like a distant memory._

_But they have already forgotten him._

**/\/\/\**

_With a heaving sigh, the man continues._

I know... the Darkness is no longer in this world. But still... I cannot bear to keep quiet. The people do not know about my deeds. Doesn't that make me a part of the shadows too? I alone know what has transpired in this world. It was _my _knowledge that protected the peace of Hyrule. Me.

_He opens his working eye. His gaze is accusatory._

Where were _you_ people when the land was thrown into chaos? Don't you _need_ my help? Can you really say with certainty that you can protect this land from the Darkness?

_His gaze softens. He chuckles mildly, which is apparently more than he can manage at the moment. A hacking cough followed by the smell of blood fill the now empty forest. Blood oozes out of the fatal wound across his middle from the exertion of coughing. As if to illustrate the severity of the wound, a faint splash and a blubbering hiss adds to the sounds he makes as his life's blood falls to the ground._

My body may be weak, but my spirit is strong.

_When his coughing fit subsides, a final gush of blood accompanied with a thick and heavy gurgling noise fills the forest clearing._

I'd laugh, if I could, at my pitiful state. What was once a great hero is now just a useless lump of flesh.

_He smiles sadly._

Or was I ever even a hero?

Sometimes I wonder if it was all just a wonderful dream of my own invention. I have my memories, yes... but how do I know they are really mine? Was everything just a dream? It couldn't be, right? I knew this land, before I came here. It couldn't have just been a dream...

_The man looks down at the sword in his hand. He tries to grip the handle, but his fingers only twitch feebly. The bloodstained handle clatters feebly against his gloved hands._

This sword never did feel quite right. It's just not the same. No sword is. Even the one I used in my childhood... It's not the same...

_He looks up again._

Please tell it wasn't all a dream.

_The piercing single eye is filled with a desperate sorrow. A need to know the truth._

It's been so long since I've seen one of your kind. If anyone would know, it would be you. Please... please... tell me it wasn't all a dream.

_At the answer, his eye grows wide, making him look years younger. You can almost see the young man he once was behind the blood and dirt. This time when he smiles it is serene._

**~{ 0 }~**

So it was real... thank the goddesses. I had feared I had gone mad. All the people I once knew didn't know me. The things I had seen and done, the things I had to do... all of it was unnecessary. So many memories, but no one else remembered.

_His soft gaze turns to stare at the endless sky above him._

I'm glad the world is at peace. Even more so, now that I know the truth. Ah... to think I would be bested in a place like this. No one will ever know how I died. Ha ha... nor will they care. I will just be one more foolish Hylian trying to follow the footsteps of the hero... Ha ha...ha...

_A streak makes itself known on the man's face. Cutting a clean line through the dirt and drying blood._

Ah... it's unfortunate. Being so afraid I couldn't even tell anyone. I was scared that everything I thought I had done was a lie. I thought that maybe I wasn't who I thought I was. Do you know what that's like?

_He opens his eye and turns once again to face you. _

Do you know what it's like to live day after day with years of memories that are all lies?

_With a shaky breath, he drops his head to stare down at his split belly._

It's scary. I couldn't do anything. I was so petrified. Ha ha ha... what kind of hero am I? Maybe now I'm not a hero at all... I guess I technically never was...

_He looks up again, the sad smile returning to his face._

I didn't teach him anything. My child will never know his destiny. The knowledge of what my descendants will have to face... that will die with me. The power to beat back the darkness... the courage to stand up for what is right.

I couldn't leave anything behind... there was so much to tell. If only you had come earlier. If only I didn't leave to go on this foolish quest of mine. I'm not the hero I once was. I'm just a shadow of my former self.

_His single working eye becomes serious. _

**/\**

Please...

Please...

I must teach what I have learned to those who come after me.

* * *

I'm considering making a story about the narrator of this chapter. What do you think?

_No one knew what became of the hero... but then again, no one knew he was a hero... at least not in this time..._


	11. The Demanding Winds

"_The tiny Picori appeared from the sky, bringing the hero of men a sword and a golden light."_

* * *

_**The Demanding Winds**_

He gazed down at The Surface, but his view was obscured by the endless clouds below.

What was it like? Down on The Surface?

The Minish boy frowned as he willed the cloud barrier to part, but even a being of the winds was no match for the power of the godess. He resigned himself to failure and crawled away from the edge of the island.

Resolutely he kicked a speck of dirt as he made his way back to the Minish village. His people had been spared, whether through luck or fate, he didn't care. As he wandered absent-mindedly, he picked a clover to use as a parasol. The green light filtered through the leaves, casting his pale face in a sickly light.

The Minish sniffed and wove his way through the tall grass that hid his village from view of the Skyloftians. Nestled as it was within the roots of a large tree, even children had a hard time finding their little village. Sulking, he tromped through the town with his clover slung over his shoulder. Master would certainly chastise him for taking so long. But seeing as it was such a nice day, he would most likely be lenient. If anything, the Wind Sage would be lounging about himself.

The young wind acolyte frowned as he entered the quiet white halls of the Minish Wind Temple. He hated the temple. It was nowhere near grand enough. His people never thought big enough.

Simple and unassuming in its design, there were even Minish who didn't know where the temple was.

"Master!" The boy called out as he set his clover parasol on a pile of papers that sat precariously on a rickety wooden table, "Master?!"

There was no hint of a sound in the cluttered workroom of the Wind Sage.

Sighing, the acolyte tousled his hair in frustration, "Master!"

He clambered over the remains of a long discarded project. Time and time again he had offered to dispose of the thing, but his Master would only shout at him that it was a work in progress, that he was merely sleeping on it.

And sleep on it they did. It was rather uncomfortable, but there was no other place to sleep than atop the piles and piles of _in-progress_ creations.

**/\/\/\**

"Master!" He called out again, carefully climbing toward the lone ladder that led to the open-aired courtyard, although calling it something so grand as an open-aired courtyard was misleading. The courtyard, or so his Master called it, was nothing more than a small open space on the roof of the one room temple. Plants were grown here in the name of research, although the Minish boy was certain it was more for the pretty Minish woman who ran the local bakery. Master would often take her flowers claiming they were the rarest of flowers and how they couldn't compare to her beauty, or some rubbish like that.

The young acolyte popped his head out into the bright sunshine. He squinted sharply and scanned the overgrown garden of weeds for the Wind Sage.

Sure enough, there he was, sitting in the clearing at the center of the _courtyard_, tending some tiny flower. A faint clattering noise told the boy that his Master was hard at work for once.

"Master!" He called again as he pulled himself onto the landing, "I've returned with the ingredients you wanted."

There was no response. No doubt the sage was sulking because he had taken so long. The Minish boy blew a lock of pale silver hair out of his face before moving toward the old man.

"I apologize for taking so long Master, but finding a cave with pure water that comes from the world of old was more difficult than I thought." He waited for a response, but when none came he continued, "And finding a stone inhabited by the speakers of the dead was impossible. I searched for days, but I couldn't find one. And I couldn't find a stone inhabited by the watchers of the living either. I'm sorry, Master."

The only sound that filled the air was that of the consistent faint clatter.

The boy frowned and sighed, he pulled his pointed cap from his head and balled it up in his fist. "Master!" he shouted whapping the wind sage over the head.

"Huh? Wha?" The man mumbled as he yawned. "Ah... That was an excellent nap! Oh!" He turned to look at his young apprentice. "You've returned! About time! Thought I was going to die of old age before you got here. What took you so long?"

"Master, you've still got a few hundred years to go before you can talk like that." The Minish boy said, slapping his purple cap back onto his head.

The Wind Sage chuckled as he stretched, "Well, nevermind that. Come have a look at this!" He pointed to the source of the strange clattering noise. "Fascinating isn't it?! I found it while you were out gallivanting through the forest having a picnic."

The boy frowned at the comment, but thought it best to ignore the slight. "So what is it?"

"It appears to be of the Baba genus, exhibiting behavior similar to the _dionae muscipula_."

The boy blinked, "The what?"

The Wind Sage either did not hear, or chose to ignore him, "It can be rather dangerous, but I think it will be useful in the future." He sighed and crossed his arms across his chest, "The great dangers I face in the name of research."

His acolyte coughed, trying to contain the quip that was on the tip of his tongue.

Again his master presumably ignored him, "I wonder if there are plants like this on The Surface. Well I suppose we'll find out soon enough."

The boy blanched, "What? Master what did you just say?"

There was a sparkle in the Wind Sage's eye, "Hm? Finally exhibiting an interest in my work now, are you? Very well the _di-_"

"No, no, no, the part about The Surface. What did you say?"  
"Oh... that." The Wind Sage stooped his shoulders and turned to pick up the potted plant, "We're to go to The Surface, apparently Her Grace is in need of assistance."

"But Her Grace is dead."

The Wind Sage cringed, "Now, now don't put it so bluntly, goodness have some tact!" He brought a hand to his heart. The boy thought the reaction was overly dramatic given that the Goddess Hylia had been dead for a good hundred years by now.

He watched his master gingerly placed the chittering plant next to some dried brown nuts with a gold interior.

"Her Grace may have passed on, but her light lives on. She's not truly gone from this world, at least not yet." He nudged the nuts carefully to one side as if afraid they were going to explode. "The world below is still tainted with darkness. I dare say it's about to be consumed by the beasts of the shadows. Her Grace needs us to deliver her Light to the dark world below. "

**~{ 0 }~**

The acolyte's heart was pounding in his chest, "Does that mean, Her Grace... I mean the next Hylia is asking _us_ for help?"

The Wind Sage stood up and shrugged, "Well at the very least _my_ help. You're mainly there to help me carry my things."

The Minish boy's face fell, but his heart was still floating on the wind. The Surface! What would it be like? What was he saying? He didn't have to wonder any more.

"Anyway, we better get cracking. We should've left ages ago, but someone was taking their sweet old time doddering about on an afternoon stroll admiring the clouds."

A faint blush made itself known on the boy's face, "My apologies, Master."

"Well no harm done. To us at least. The rest of our group have already headed down, no doubt they've already informed the next hero of men about our coming."

The boy started, "But if others were going, why didn't you just have them take the sword to the chosen hero?"

"And make them carry that ghastly heavy thing? Goodness no! That's something reserved for a strapping young Minish like yourself. I'd carry it myself, but I've got something more important to deliver to Her Grace." He brought a hand to his chest and paused in the golden light of the afternoon sun. For some reason, he seemed younger today, full of youth and life.

"Besides, I've always known that you've craved to see the land below, boy. Especially since you had a chance to learn from that nice surface dweller a few months ago. What's-his-name? He was such a polite young man! The one with the pale skin."

The Wind Sage snapped his fingers, trying to remember the name. He resigned himself to ignorance, "Bah! I'm sure I'll remember it sooner or later. I dare say you're starting to copy his style too, what with the spell for image transformation you're using." He shivered as a cloud moved across the sun, bringing with it a cold breeze. "Can imagine why you'd make your eyes so blood-shot, makes it look like you haven't slept in ages. Still, I'm glad we got the Minish Cap up and running in time for his visit. You know the desert boy. The one from the Sh-"

The boy smiled, perhaps too happily as he tuned his master out. The Surface! The Surface! The land filled with magic, the likes of which he had never seen. He wanted that power! He needed that power! He would demand it from his _true_ master!

If it was everything his true master had promised he would not be disappointed. Perhaps, his true master would be able to teach him more in the ways of the shadow.

**/\**

He would become a sorcerer.

No longer would he tire away as a meager apprentice!

Soon, all would call him Master!

* * *

A much more coherent chapter than the usual, and not as mysterious. The price I pay for trying to organize my thoughts.

_They say Vaati really likes the eye motif... like certain others..._


	12. A Sales Pitch

"_Do you know what kind of mask you're wearing...? And you're still wearing it?_"

* * *

_**A Sales Pitch**_

Ohhhhh! Interested in that mask are you? A very scary looking mask isn't it? Yes, yes, quite a lot of trouble it took me to get it, yes indeed.

Here look, you can still see it, it's very faint though. Yes, it's exactly what you think it is! See how it still smells faintly of iron and decay? Yes, indeed! You can almost hear the sound of the low-pitched moans of its owner still resounding from it! At least it's not that bone-chilling scream! Then again, maybe it would be better if it was. It would be a real collector's item if it could...

But listen to me prattle about possibilities! No, what you want to hear about are the actualities, yes? Rumor has it that this mask was picked up by the Hero of Time himself! No joke!

**/\/\/\**

Hm?

Well... Yes... I did say that it took _me_ quite a bit of trouble to acquire this particular mask. Well it was difficult! Do you know how hard it is to get one of these things? Wouldn't have gotten it if it hadn't been for the Hero of Time! I kid you not! Who else would be able to destroy the horrid creations of dark magic that wear this _spooky_ _mask_? Hm?

Wouldn't catch me going near one of those things.

Too terrible to describe, really, what with their nasty habit of feeding on whoever happens to wander by.

Oh no!

But if you're quiet enough they won't attack you...

Oddly enough, the monsters who originally wear this mask have no need for the eye holes apparently. They have no eyes! But it just makes it all the more convenient for my customers to wear! And that's a fact! Although some claim that these monsters have terrible glowing red eyes! But that's neither here nor there, but another thing entirely.

**~{ 0 }~**

Anyway, back to the merchandise...

Hey, hey, hey! Hands off! You break it you buy it!

I said... _Hands off!_

Ahem... Pardon my outburst. Where was I?

Ah, yes, see the subtle stains here? I can only assume they're remnants of the battle with the Hero of Time! Heard he got chomped on quite a bit before he could take down this mask-wearing monster!

Not only that, but if you're looking for a scary mask, you can't get any scarier than this. I have it from a very highly acclaimed researcher that this mask is carved from a coffin! Presumably the coffin of the monster while it was still dead... well dead the first time around anyway.

Sometimes at night, the mask will glow! Perhaps it's still possessed by the lingering spirit of its owner! Ho ho ho!

See you can even see the teeth marks left by its comrades. Apparently, those nasty monsters have a way of gathering around their own dead. They like to gather around and crouch beside their fallen comrade and consume the corpse. Although... when the undead die... is it dead or is it something else. I mean it's already died once so maybe it's re-deceased? Hm...

Well, my dear customer, what will it be?

For a rare treasure such as this I'd say... 300 rupees should be a fair deal?

**/\**

Oh? You'll take it? Excellent!

Now if I could just get your payment of...

_Whaddya mean you don't have any money?!_

* * *

Ah, and there returns the old ambiguous narrative style. Although I have to say the chapter would be so much better if you could actually _see_ the narrator in all his exuberant glory.

_Boing-oing! The mask the man describes is known to be a rather... **spooky** mask..._


	13. A Forgiving Wind

"_In their last hour, as doom drew nigh, they left their future in the hands of fate."_

* * *

**_A Forgiving Wind_**

Dark storm clouds rolled in on the wind, as if warning them of the terrible army that would soon be at the gates. The lone man swathed in a red mantle watched from the tall window of the castle. The storm clouds and the black mass of monsters drew closer and closer to the castle gates. There was nothing they could do now...

"Your Highness!" A shadowy figure appeared quietly from the shadows of the tall stone pillars behind the King. The figure knelt to the ground, placing a fist upon the cold stone floor. "The horde is fast approaching, we should vacate the palace immediately."

"No..."

The servant smiled softly, eyes still closed, not daring to rise. "Of course, understood."

"Has everyone gone to higher ground?"

"Yes, sir."

"And my daughter?"

"She is safe. Your men will not let her be harmed."

The man nodded absent-mindedly as he turned and passed his loyal servant to head down the large staircase in the main hall of the castle. "Good... good..." he muttered. The sound of his footsteps echoed quietly around the stone chamber.

"It's been a long time," he said pausing before the statue of the Hero of Time. "I knew this day would come, but I did not think that it would be during my time. I thought that it would be eons before we saw the dark beast rise again."

"Sir?" His servant stood at the top of the stairs, looking down at him, "You _knew_ this was going to happen?"

The man turned slowly, his eyes filled with sadness as he answered, "Yes... While the darkness can be sealed, it cannot be destroyed." He turned his gaze back to the hero's statues in the center of the chamber, "That is a law that cannot be broken." The red mantle shook as he chuckled, "Isn't that what your people always say?"

The servant inhaled deeply, resignedly; offering no rebuttal. "I prayed that it would never come to pass, but such is the power of the Darkness."

A heavy sigh, "Yes... It is something we cannot live without. But what am I saying?" He turned once again to smile at his loyal servant, "You and your people know more about that than I. My apologies."

"There is nothing to be forgiven."

The man's red mantle shook again as a rumble of laughter escaped his lips, "There's no time for apologies now, I suppose. Is everything in place?"

The servant descended the stairs, "Yes, sir. Everything has been prepared. Our best magicians are working as we speak."

"Good... I just hope that the storm will arrive before the monsters."

The servant stood next to the king and looked up at the statue as well. If only the hero could appear to perform a miracle once more...

**/\/\/\**

A rumble of thunder sounded far in the distance.

"I have failed..." the words were barely above a whisper.

The servant shot a glance at the man to see a quick tear disappear into the white beard.

"I have failed Hyrule..."

"No. My liege, you have not failed yet." The servant smiled as the hall began to darken. "As long as the Princess is safe, you have not failed."

A quiet shudder left the King and his shoulders shook, but this time with sadness. "My country... My people... What must they think of me? What must _she_ think of me?"

"That you are the King who stood before a great darkness, and succeeded in sealing the monster for a second time."

Smiling sadly, the King shook his head. "No, there is no glory to be had for us. I'm afraid I have told my last lie to my people."

"Your Majesty?"

"I told them the Goddesses are responsible for sending the great storm." He turned to look at his servant, his eyes were serious and apologetic, "Forgive me, I'm afraid I have condemned you and your people to fade away into the shadows with me."

To the King's great surprise, his servant merely laughed and knelt down, "Your Majesty, you cannot condemn those who are destined to remain in the shadows of Hyrule for all time. We exist as the means to separate the light from the darkness."

**~{ 0 }~**

The faint last notes of a quick melody drifted in on the wind, followed by the smell of rain. Thunder roared and the great doors of the main hall rattled as the first battering ram hit. The King squared off to face the coming beings of Darkness.

There was a flash of lightning, illuminating the two solitary figures standing before the Hero. A brief darkness followed before the hall was thrown into sharp relief once more. A handful of warriors stood before the King, all raising their arms, ready to defend their country and their King to death and beyond.

There was a pause.

A roar of thunder shook the castle to its very foundations. The front gates cracked open from the force of the battering ram. Thousands upon thousands of monsters surged into the hall, making their way toward the small band of the outnumbered remainders of Hyrule.

"I'm sorry to say, you were wrong, Your Grace." The servant muttered stepping toward the onslaught of creatures. "The Goddesses may not have sent the storm, but they did grant us with one bit of inspiration. The magic to keep your spirit alive."

"What?"

"Forgive us, Your Majesty. We cannot allow you to die here." The servant pushed the king toward the statue of the Hero of Time. The statue rumbled as it moved aside to reveal the entrance to the sacred temple beneath. "The next hero will appear, and when he does you must guide him."

**/\**

The King tumbled down the stairs.

When he finally came to a halt, he pushed his crown up to see his shadow warriors engaged in combat with the monsters. Before he could rise the statue moved slowly back into place.

Leaving him alone in the shadows.

* * *

I always thought the King must have had a lot of regrets... Again a much more coherent and straightforward chapter, not as mysterious as the usual ones, but lots of stuff embedded in there.

_Who are the mysterious servants? Loyal servants of the Royal Family... Rumor had it that they had vanished before this calamity... I guess they hadn't!_


	14. A Side Business

"_You're the boy who awoke Vaati, aren't you? Thank you very much! You've made the world a better place for our kind!_"

* * *

_**A Side Business**_

Eee hee hee... Ohhhh, so you want to hear about that do you?

Well I can't be bothered right now, I'm busy. So just shoo.

Go! Scat! Go on!

I've got a business to run. Helping the kingdom out doesn't exactly put bread on the table. Why do you think I started this little side business anyway? At least fortune telling brings in...

Ohhhh?

You'll make it worth my while you say?

Very well then. Let's see how much you got.

Well, well, not bad.

Fine. Sit down and I'll make this quick, like I said I've got more important things to do than to entertain your kind.

Well, it certain wasn't _our_ fault those brats went missing. Sure, we were there. Yes, yes, yes it was our so called _duty_. Don't get your knickers in a knot...

**/\/\/\**

Do I seem like the type to care who you answer to?

Eee hee hee... It's not like I don't know who you are. Oh no... I know very well who you are. Who of our people doesn't know the great warrior who obediently eats the scraps off the royal table with a wagging tail?

Anyway, quit distracting me. I've got plenty to do without your interference...

What do you mean 'Busy with what?'. Just who do you think does the heavy lifting around here? Huh? Who do you think is responsible for all the _petty_ magic you lot from Hyrule use?

Feh! Like you care. Too entranced by that pitiful Light. It'll blind you; that Light will. You'll start to think you're a part of it. Bah! There's no helping it; you young ones are all the same. You crave it. And all the while we're the ones doing something actually productive. Yes, I know that's the reason you're actually here. Not for this ridiculous report about a few missing children. Just tell your _master_ that we've almost located the Goddesses' holy relic. Just tell him not to worry his pretty little crowned head.

**~{ 0 }~**

Ha ha ha... Still trying to keep up the ruse?

Fine, I'll tell you about the snot-nosed kids who went missing. Like I was saying, we didn't do anything. Yeah, that's right, we didn't do _anything_. I don't care if the hero had to haul his ass up here to save the kids. 'Bout time the slugabed did some good for this world. What kind of wonderful place has to rely on the seedy underside of the world to get by? Let the people of the Light pull their own weight for once I say.

So the Wind Mage was resurrected, big deal. It was your precious _hero_ who woke him up in the first place. If it was such a bad thing for him to be resurrected, shouldn't our dear little hero take responsibility for his actions? Why should we have to clean up the mess that he makes? Just be grateful we didn't _do_ anything. If anything we helped the little hero out.

Oh don't give me that look. I don't have any intention to be looked down upon by a _dog_ of the Royal Family. If you're done here, get going. I'll even send you off with a little prediction... for a price.

**/\**

I'll tell you what I see. Ok?

What do you mean, no?

Does the future... frighten you?

* * *

Well that was a short chapter.

_Fortunetellers are said to have a_ _**third eye**__... this particular fortuneteller has an eye for money. I hear she'll charge you 100 gems. Yes, gems... not Rupees._


	15. A Better Soldier

"_An iron warrior chosen by the king."_

* * *

_**A Better Soldier**_

"So they want more manpower, do they?" An old woman cackled as she handed her partner the letter bearing the royal seal of Hyrule.

"Well, well, well, seems like the old king is willing to turn a blind eye if it means protecting the Light." The other chuckled as the letter in her hand burst into flames.

The messenger said nothing, not daring to rise, not even daring to look the two old women in the eyes.

Nasty rumors had been floating around them for too long; and they preferred it that way.

"Tell _His Majesty_ that we'll deliver all the _soldiers_ he wants."

"In fact, we're working right now to make a _better_ solider. He should be please. If all goes well, he can replace those outdated things in his castle."

The messenger bit back a retort.

Best not to anger the old hags. "I'll deliver your words as quickly as I can." And in a flash, the kneeling figure was gone.

"Best get back to work."

"I must say we do impeccable work, really. Eh heh heh."

The two admired their handiwork.

The large suit of armor stood in a shadowy niche in the room. The torchlight flickered, gleaming off of the shining iron. The stocky armor was quite imposing, even more so was the giant axe that it clutched, almost lovingly. The tunic it wore under the layers of chainmail and armor bore patterns of blue and red. The light played on the surface of the helmet, making it look as if there was something inside... Something alive.

"Far too bulky, no normal subject will be able to move it easily."

"We just need the right... host to power it."

**/\/\/\**

They made their way down a dark winding staircase, emerging in a labyrinth of underground tunnels. There was a silent shriek somewhere in the distance. Dark and mottled hands groped at the world outside their cells, some begging and pleading.

"So many lovely little subjects to choose from."

"Hm... But don't you think they've been... lacking in power, recently."  
"All too true. Those pathetic mages don't know how to properly spirit someone away." The old woman floated past one of the cells just out of reach of the scrabbling hands. "They must've kept the best ones all to themselves."

"Now, now, we've always made-do with what we have."

The other sighed as she inspected the subjects. "Yes... Oh! I know!" She cackled, zooming off, "Let's use that one!"  
"Oooooh! You stole my idea, you thief!" The old hag sped off after her.

"Nonsense! It was my idea, you twit! Don't go claiming my brilliance for your own!"  
"Meh! You're just jealous because I've always been prettier!"

"You wish! No amount of magic in Hyrule could make you better looking than me!"

The two bickered as they approached a great stone door. Torches sprang to life as they flew down the hall at a breakneck speed. As they neared the doors, the last torch was lit. The runes etched in a circular pattern on the door glowed faintly and the door rumbled as it opened, allowing the two to pass without stopping.

They skidded to a halt as they entered the dark room. The door ground shut behind them, leaving them in complete darkness. A soft whimpering sound met their ears.

"Ke ke ke... Crying now, are we?"

"How our descendants have fallen."

The prisoner looked up at them, biting back the tears of pain that threatened to flow forth. "Whu yew wan'" the words were slurred and sloppy.

"Oh I forgot! We took out your tongue."

"No, no, no I just scorched it a little for that little remark last time about our age. Don't you remember?"

"That's right! I had forgotten."

"Getting senile in your old age aren't you?"

"Who are you calling senile? How heartless you are!"

"Ungrateful!"

"Heartless!"

**~{ 0 }~**

The prisoner broke up their argument as a wracking cough tore through the dark room. "Ol' 'aggs"

"Now I _know_ I'm not old enough to have misheard that!"

"You insolent! This time I'll make sure to burn you to your bones!"

"Now, now, we can't go wasting such a precious subject."

"You're right," the old woman smiled, revealing a few cracked and missing teeth, "We've got big plans for you, you should be honored."

Another cough and then a glare were the only response she got.

The two women crouched before the unfortunate soul, "You were once a great warrior, my dear. One of the best."

"Oh don't be so modest, my child. Who would know better than us? We've been watching over the shadows for a long time."

"We've seen the best warriors come and go with the times. And you are no exception."

"We're actually just the teeniest bit proud."

"We come from the same ancestral blood after all."

"Don't give us such a pitiful look. You're shaming the name of the shadows."

The old woman dragged a sharp ragged fingernail down the tanned face of her victim, drawing a thin stream of blood down the captive's face. "You'll just be the first of many. We'll make a whole army."

"You won't be alone for long. Actually, if you want, you can think about it this way."

"You're just going to the darkness that the goddess condemned you to since before you were born."

"Such a poet!"

"I don't need any sarcasm from you!"

As the two women bickered, the prisoner's golden eyes widened as the realization of what would happen sunk in. The prisoner pulled and strained against the many chains, but they only rattled in the feeble attempt to yank the manacles off the wall. The blood from the scratch the old woman's fingernail had made trailed down like a crimson tear. Head hanging, the prisoner panted heavily. Red tangled hair almost obscured how the prisoner was fighting the terrible despair that was growing.

Two pairs of feet entered the prisoner's line of sight. The owners laughed,

"You've really fallen haven't you? The protective spells aren't even running right now. Can't even do anything about these little trinkets." The woman tapped a chain lightly with her foot.

"Now, now, don't be so harsh. Look how much energy our dear little one has still." The other waddled up to their despairing captive, cupping the face in a wrinkled old hand. "We'll make you into a fine soldier."

**/\**

There's nothing to fear...

Darkness will always accept you, no matter where you come from.

Welcome home...

* * *

If you do a bit of research into this _**Iron**_ warrior, you might find something interesting.

_I overheard this... there are rumors that a few of the desert people have mysteriously vanished... where did they go?_


	16. Our Self Reflection

"_That mirror reveals the wickedness within a person and brings it to life"_

* * *

**_Our Self Reflection _**

Another century has passed... I suppose it's time I told you a little about our history. Come here, children. Oh my, you're both getting quite big now aren't you? Soon you won't be able to sit on my lap any more...

Oh don't worry, that's still a long time from now. Don't look so sad, you need be brave for the little ones.

Now my child, I must ask you. Do you ever feel a strange sadness when you look out over our world?

**/\/\/\**

Ha ha ha... I knew you would. We are both blessed and cursed with the ability to feel something that most of our kind has already forgotten. We are the ones who were sacrificed to quell a terrible darkness. You may not understand it now... But there was once a time where our hearts were bottomless. We felt too much.

Happiness. Sorrow. Power. Joy. Destruction. Wisdom. Hope. Despair. Courage. There was once a time we longed for these things called life. There was a time where no matter how much we had of life's force, we still craved more. Our hearts were never full. There was always something missing...

**~{ 0 }~**

So one day our people began to search for what we were missing. They searched for a long time, but their search was tiring. Our ancestors had almost given up, when they were saved. They followed a goddess blessed with a golden light. And their hearts were filled. There was work to be done.

And so our ancestors devoted their lives to protecting the wonderful things that life brought. Ha ha ha... Maybe you can't understand me now. It's hard to imagine, isn't it? A world of light... A world of shadow...

Soon their hearts were so filled with light, but also with darkness. Their spirits were tainted as the sought to possess the light. And the more they yearned for the light, the farther they fell into the shadows. And the farther they fell into the shadows the more they sought the light to fill their bottomless empty hearts.

Then our ancestors devised a plan. And I'm sorry my dear, but I don't know too much else. All I know is they devised a plan to take the light for their own, but they failed. Any magic they once had was shattered, and they were banished. Light chased them across the land, followed by the Shadows. They were driven into across the sacred land to the very edges of the realm. They were given a chance to redeem themselves, but there are those who would claim the trial for a farce.

They would have to... reflect upon their misdeeds, and if indeed their spirits were pure they would be allowed to remain in the realm of the light. But should their hearts be filled with dark intentions the mirror they would be sentenced to death and would be sent directly to another realm, one that rumor claimed was the underworld. A world of shadows and silence.

People were dropped to the pits of Hell itself. They would plummet to the realm of the dead. What else could it be? There was nothing. Nothing but a quiet and terrible silence that would ensnare the mind and bewitch the senses, driving all those who entered mad. And for some it did. They disintegrated into the shadows, adding to the darkness. Others who were able to reflect... upon their misdeeds, were able to retain some of the power that they once had. And it was this small mercy that enabled them to survive in the world of shadows.

What you must remember, my children, is that those who were able to understand the darkness were able to understand the light. _Reflection..._has the power to change people like that. The first of our kind, the _true_ Shadows, were the ones who knew this the most.

Oh my... Ha ha ha it seems like that story was too boring for you. Look! The little one has fallen asleep! One day, my dear, you must tell her what I've told you. You might not understand it now, but one day you will...

**/\**

Light and darkness are one.

That is a law that cannot be broken.

But remember this my children. It is the shadows that separate them.

* * *

Focus more on what's being said rather than who the story is being told to. The listeners didn't understand (or didn't hear) the story, so you should pay attention in their stead.

_Do you ever feel a strange sadness when night falls? What else can the feeling be? Other than pure and utter loneliness? A quiet and terrible silence... it must be the depths of hell for it can be nothing else._


	17. The All-knowing eye

_They are the Sheikah...the shadows of the Hylians. _

* * *

_**The All-knowing Eye**_

"Nana..." the little girl turned lightly as she danced around the Master Sword, "Who're they?" She pointed at the stained glass windows that had been newly erected in the sacred chamber.

"They're the six sages who helped the Hero of Time long ago."

"Hm..." the girl's blue eyes widened as she paced along the edge of the platform, ducking around the suits of armor that blocked her view. Her golden hair tumbled over her shoulder as she leaned precariously over the edge.

"Don't go falling off now."

"I'll be careful!" The child did a quick two-step back from the ledge.

Her caretaker chuckled as she ascended the stairs of the dais where the Master Sword stood. The sword was silent and still, looking like any other sword. It was hard to believe that a great power lay within it.

"Nana?" The girl hopped over and swung around on the hilt of the sword, as if it were a mere plaything, "What're you looking at?"

"Nothing, nothing..." she smiled gently down at her charge as the girl tried to wrench the sword free from its pedestal. "There's no point in trying."

The girl pouted, crossing her arms, "You're only saying that because I'm little. I bet you could do it, Nana."

A hearty laugh filled the sacred chamber, "Oh no. No, my dear, I can't. It's impossible for me."

"Why?" The girl tugged on the hilt of the sword again.

"Only the true hero can wield this sacred blade."

"Why?"

The woman paused, "Because the Master Sword is a sacred blade which those of darkness may never touch."

"Why?"

"Because it's a sword with tremendous power. That power is a sacred force, left to us by the gods of old."

"Why?"

The woman smiled warmly, "Now, now, I know you know why."

**/\/\/\**

The girl smiled broadly as she skipped around the dais again chanting, "Why? Why? Why?" in a sing-song voice.

Her caretaker swooped her up easily in one arm. The girl gasped as her feet flew out from under her, laughing all the while. "I'll give you something to laugh about," the woman chuckled and proceeded to tickle her.

The girl giggled, clutching her stomach. Her legs flailing and her shrieks of childish laughter echoing in the dark stone chamber. Still asking, "Why?"

"Why what?" The woman asked as she stopped her attack.

"W-why," The girl heaved through her laughter, "Why is that symbol different?" She pointed a small finger at the image of the Shadow Sage.

"Ah... well, by then... it didn't seem right. You see," the woman said sitting down and settling the girl on her lap, "when my people were whole, there were three-"

"Just like the Triforce?"

A smile and playful pinch of the cheek, "Yes, just like the Triforce."

A soft golden light filtered through the glass, sending purple and blue rays into the sacred chamber, illuminating the two who sat in silence. The warmth of the light was welcoming in the cool chamber. It was a comforting feeling.

**~{ 0 }~**

"Once, long ago, we were three."

The little girl looked up at her guardian, but the woman's gaze was still transfixed on the glowing stained glass window. "But then a great tragedy occurred. The same war that caused so many unnecessary lights to be extinguished before their time. After that we were only two."

The child turned to look at the window once more. Staring at the sage in the glass.

"Then the others were used in horrible rituals that still persisted without our knowledge. By the time we discovered what had happened to them. It was too late. They had been used by the Dark King and the resurrected remnants of those who were condemned to the shadows."

The room darkened as a cloud quickly came and went, and soon the sacred chamber was once again filled with a soft and peaceful light.

"And then... we were alone."

The Shadow Sage looked down on them with her single remaining eye.

**/\**

The woman's face grew somber, and her eyes glazed over.

A small hand reached up to brush her cheek, wiping away a tear that didn't exist. The caretaker took the small hand in her own, pressing the little palm to her face.

"Thank you, my little princess."

* * *

This series of stories will end with the 35th chapter. The story will be _completed_ with the 36th chapter.

_The all-knowing eye is always watching. It's always there... in every chapter..._


	18. Watchers of the Living

"This statue's one-eyed gaze pierces into your mind..."

* * *

_**Watchers of the Living**_

We can see you. You can't see us. Our eyes are always watching. What are we? We're not making any promises! There is mysterious power in these notes. No one knows about a relic like us! We watch over this land! Just keep watching~just keep watching! The goddess's chosen guardians. Look! Draw us into the infinite darkness that absorbs even time. Tee hee hee hee! Only 0:00 remaining! Never be allowed to threaten the world again. Sometimes enemies are the best friends! Oh oh oh do we think they'll come see us? ...contain all the evil power in the void of the Realm...Oh my! We must protect this beautiful land of Hyrule. Please come see us! The power of the heart. We can see the spirits gathering. We must teach what we have learned to those who come after us. They and I will surely meet again someday. Something... The strength of the Triforce of Power enabled him to become a might, evil king, but his dark ambitions were not satisfied. It's incredibly boring! We are the people of the sky... Look for the eye of truth... We're watching over them and they don't know... Boing-oing! There must be someone who can see us ...transformed Hyrule into a world of monsters. Here lie the souls of those who swore fealty to the Royal Family of Hyrule... They swore allegiance to the King of Hyrule. It's a secret! If we would seek the sacred triangle, listen well... Who can see the spirits of the shadows. We've been waiting. Survivor! How we have fallen. We can watch only those who live in the light. We owe it all to you, kid! Doesn't that make us a part of the shadows too? Hee hee hee! We are a being of this age. Let's watch! We found it! How about it? Watch and wait. The legend came true. That's what we are seeing. Light! We crave light! See what is hidden in the darkness. Patience. But we're only 400 years old! We couldn't leave anything behind... there was so much to tell. We can see into other people's minds. We cannot see! We've seen your fine work! Let us see! The nature of the task given to our tribe. We're counting on you! Watch over our spirits in their eternal slumber. See! Once every 100 years, a special child is born unto our people. A childish mind will turn to noble ambition. We want to know! The one who holds the Triforce of Courage... They want to know! Will we help us look? Can they feel? Someone must stay behind...Let us see! Many thought we had died out! Passed down through time. Times have changed! Our feelings must be known! We gather and wait. Heed our words! They can't see. It's become an awful place...They can't feel! Please... We really messed up... Watch! Will we do it? We are going to cry... we cannot be seen, hear, nor can we speak. No longer part of this world.

Blind.

**/\/\/\**

_We...we...know...know...all...all..._

_Stand...stand...before...before...us...us...and... and...we...we...shall...shall...listen...listen... _

_Only...only...those...those...with...with...a...a. ..pure...pure...heart...heart._

_Can...can...hear...hear...our...our...voices...voi ces..._

_Come...come...forward...forward..._

_Heed...heed...the...the...knowledge...knowledge... of...of...the...the...past...past..._

**~{ 0 }~**

_...people...the...and..._

_...gather...even..._

_The...of...sees...in...present..._

_Time...to..._

_Their...come...and...mortal...at...is...beginning. _

_...of...is...all...of..._

_What...here...nothing...a...grave...sleeping...the y..._

_...now...artifact...you...my..._

...enchanted...with...of...

If...this...can...information...souls...long...

...creation...terrible...something...our...

...even...are...

While...the...which..was...cannot...from...power.. .artifact...

...knowledge...impart...will...great...power...use d...utmost...

...secrets...land..the...the...

...it...of...goddesses...three...

...power...three...ability...the...the...world.

...people...their...the...trust...will...the...era .

...they...are...many...waiting...us...demise.

...allow...is...perish...darkness.

...people...to...watch...shadows...death.

...Sheikah...this...since...

We...the...of...and...the...between...and...

We...shadow...darkness...

We...to...for...craving...and...we...protect...on. ..we...the...

...people...part...great...three.

...worked...form...

One...goddess...Triforce.

...now...the...once...people...the...Din.

...to...realm...great...

...people...as...were...great...embraced...as...in ...of...bring...the...

...people...as...of...Family...courageous...sought ...the...the...not...reach.

...three...up...collectively...the...

...the...is...astray.

...from...weaving...to...

...hundreds...of...people...lost...great...the...

...by...have...wide...others...

Their...the...most...though...might...

They...children...shadows.

...of...and...

They...

They...most...desires...to...cry.

...beginning...been...all...risk...protect...have. ..

Under...sky...the...have...to...realm...thrive...l ead...utter...destruction.

...forth...

The...speak...

For...the...the...

...my...no...of...we...let...in...

There...sadness...let...decay.

...not...this...

...we...shadows...as...light...is...shadows...exis t.

...chosen...to...land...pull...

So...cry...

We...Sheikah.

...cry.

**/\**

_We...we...are...are...the...the...remainders...rem ainder..._

_All...all...who...who...have...have...walked...wal ked...upon...this...this...land...land..._

_In...in...the...the...shadows...shadows...for...fo r...all...all...time...time..._

* * *

Also I'm afraid it's that time again for a long Author's Note.

Also the note at the bottom of chapter 17 was perhaps a little too cryptic. This story will be officially completed with the 35th chapter. However, the completed stamp won't be placed on this fanfiction until the 36th chapter. The 36th chapter will be a reader's guide of sorts to help you through the riddles of this series of stories. Unfortunately for you this means you will probably have to do a bit of research to fully understand everything in this story.

Once again thank you for sticking with me so far (and sticking through this long Author's Note!). Here's to another 16 (17) chapters!

**End Author's Note/Start Anonymous review response**

To Ashlee S: I'm happy to see that you're still reviewing with such dedication. I'm sorry I can only respond to you via Author's notes, and that you can't get an account. There seems to be quite a bit of confusion as to the overall (semi)plot of this story. And I have to say it's more of a theory than a plot, so please don't be too concerned. Hopefully everything will come to light when this story is completed with the extra 36th chapter. I will be posting another long response in chapter 27. Until then, I hope you continue to enjoy From the Shadows.

To James Birdsong: I'm glad you continue to enjoy the stories. If I might ask, what do you like about them? Criticism (constructive or of the flame variety are welcomed.)

_There is always something of importance embedded in the walls of text, you just have to read carefully to find them._


	19. His New Friends

"_You guys... You hadn't forgotten about me? You still thought of me as a friend?...I thought they didn't want to be friends with me... But... They hadn't forgotten about me..._"

* * *

_**His New Friends**_

The boy scrambled to his feet, sliding on the slippery leaves that were still wet with rain. The bouncy melody echoed all around him as he continued to run. The few lingering drops of water fell in large drops from the trees above. Whenever they did, the boy jumped, searching for the source of the sound.

"_Ha ha ha ha!"_

The laughter echoed off of the many trees and stones, bouncing around in a cacophony of sound. It was impossible to know where it originated from. The sounds of his own panting breath was drowned by the laughter that rang in his ears. The imp vaulted over a fallen tree, trying to escape the terrible giggling sound.

He kept running through the thick fog. The mist-like rain had already drenched him to the bone. There were no other sounds in the forest. No animals, no birds, no magic, nothing... save for the sound of high-pitched echoing laughter.

"_Hee hee hee!"_

Suddenly, his feet flew out from under him.

He hit the bottom of a dry riverbed. He clambered to his feet once again, but stopped. The music had stopped, the laughter was gone.

Chest heaving with exhaustion and sadness, the boy drew his knees to his chest for warmth. Clutching his legs, he shivered in the cold clean rain.

What had happened to these woods? They had never been so malicious before...

He sniffled, wiping his nose on with a gloved hand. The rain pattered against his pointed orange hat. She had told him to take it with him, to stay clean, to not go to the woods, to be back by supper, and to not get lost. They had argued, words had been said, eyes an angry red. He had stormed off from Kakariko village in a huff.

Clutching his little flute in his hand, the boy felt guilt wash over him.

He had broken all of his promises.

The faint sound of music reached his ears again, foretelling the coming of his pursuer. The cheery music resounded in his ears, the faint sounds of dissonance making it all the more frightening.

He ran along the river bank trying to find a way out. A large tree with protruding roots made a convenient ladder. As he climbed up the roots, the music was growing louder and louder, faster and faster. His flute slipped from his fingers and clattered down the tree roots.

"Ah..." he turned back, arm outstretched as if it would call the instrument back to him. There was no time.

As soon as his feet hit the ground the boy ran as fast as he could, almost crashing into a large tree stump that appeared through the dense fog. He ran through the tall grass. It rustled as if caught in an unseen mischievous wind.

He ran through a large fallen trunk to the light on the other side. If only he could get away from this place!

The hollow log led to a clearing, but to the boy's horror it seemed to be a dead-end. He looked left and right, seeing not escape route through the tightly woven trunks on either side. A fairy circle. A large tree had most certainly once stood in the middle, but it had long since died and rotted away. No doubt he had passed through the remains of the center of the fairy circle to get here.

The music swelled in volume from behind him. A feeling of dread sank into the pit of the boy's stomach as he turned around. In the darkness of the fallen tree he could see the faint light of a lantern.

He had to move.

Running as fast as his legs could carry him the boy moved in the only direction he could, forward. He hit the wall of trees with his gloved fists, begging, pleading for a way out. The laughter reverberated in his chest as his pursuer drew closer. The music growing louder and louder.

Hands scrabbling over the overgrown vines that laced the trunk of the great wall of trees before him, he bashed his fists once more against the unrelenting barrier. And to his surprise it gave.

**/\/\/\**

The vines had concealed a narrow opening between the trunks of the trees. Thank the goddesses. Squeezing in between the tree trunks, the boy crammed his hat on his head and scooted through the crevice.

He kept moving, slowly edging his way through the narrow opening. The laughter was blocked by the trees that embraced him, hiding him from the horribly sinister music. But the instant he felt his fears leave him a new one settled deeply in his heart.

What if this escape route was merely a dead-end?

Before he could even wonder what he would do if that was the case, he felt his stomach plummet once again. It happened so fast that it stole his voice from him. There was only the quiet rushing sound of air and the shadows. He was falling.

And then he was drowning. The boy flailed against the inky blackness. Utter silence surrounded him. The fizzy feeling of thousands of tiny bubbles tickling his skin. He thrashed soundlessly. He even tried to scream, but his mouth and nose were filled with the cold cool darkness. There was a light below him, or was it above him?

He floated toward the light, his lungs craving air.

The water wavered as the boy broke the surface, gasping for air. He coughed and paddled toward the edge of the deep pool.

A circle of sunlight lit the small bit of land next to the water, and the boy dragged himself to it collapsing only when his entire body was bathed in the light.

Mother and the others were right, the light was a wonderful thing. The smell of sunlight was so clean and pure. The feeling of it was something to be relished... how warm and welcoming it was. And the sound of the flickering flame was so comforting...

The boy sat up at the realization that there was a fire nearby. Two torches stood quietly in the clearing, crackling merrily. He stared, wondering how and why they were there. Could there be a village nearby?

Quietly and cautiously, the boy crept forward on all fours, ready to jump back at the slightest hint of danger. He was taken aback when a flicker of movement caught his eye.

A child was huddled at the base of one of the torches.

"Are you... lost too?" The tribal mask with its brightly colored face paint cocked to one side in curiosity.

Still wary, the boy only nodded at the red-headed child with the strangely colorful mask.

"I don't think... there's any way out... Unless... could you... help me open this door?" The masked child pointed to the circular door that stood between the two torches. "Maybe we could... open it together."

The door was heavy, and after much struggling they managed to lift the door just barely high enough for both boys to squeeze through.

When they were both safely on the other side the masked child laughed, "Ha ha ha! I'm so glad you came along! My friends and I were playing hide-and-seek. I thought that this would be a good place to hide...but I guess not. Ha ha ha! They might be somewhere in here too... Will you help me find them? What a great game of hide-and-seek this will be! Ha ha!" The masked child laughed happily, "The way back to the town is this way." He set off down the long dark passage, motioning for his new friend to follow.

There must have been a light of some sort, for he could see rather well in the dark tunnel. Well enough to see some kind of painting on the wooden walls of the passage. It looked a little like red, yellow, and orange flowers in a green field.

The tunnel turned and opened onto a large room. The boy looked around for his new masked friend. There was a door on the far side, but no way to get across, not even a bridge. His eyes rested on two figures crouched at the base of the ledge that led to the exit it.

"So you don't know where they are?" The masked child asked the other.

"I got lost... and the bridge wasn't there any more, ha ha!"

"It's ok, because now we've got a new friend!"

"Really? ...Where?"

The masked child held out a hand to present the boy to his companion. The boy waved and the child leaned to one side to get a good look.

"Oh..." This one too was wearing a mask that resembled a goat or a bull. "Do you think the three of us... will be able to reach that ledge?"

He pointed to the top of the smooth flat rock that led to the exit. "I can't climb it... by myself."

It was easy enough to form a human ladder, each boy standing on the other's shoulders.

As they passed through the door the child with the bull-like mask turned to the boy and smiled, "It's nice... to have friends... Isn't it?"

The boys passed through the door and into a cavernous room. A faint rushing breeze flew at them from below. Trees rose from the ground, their roots descended into the shadows, while their branches formed a dark room that blocked the light. Rope bridges twined between the gaps in the trees, connecting them in an intricate maze.

"We always play here... it's our special secret place..."

"Look!"

Another masked child was crouched on one of the many rope bridges, dropping stones into the black abyss below. His purple mask looked like some kind of fanged and horned fish.

"Oh..." he said looking up at the newcomers, "Where... have you been? I was trying to find you... I wanted to hide together..."

"Why are you waiting there...?"

The boy with the fish mask shrugged, "I can't...find my way back."

"We'll come and get you!"

"...Ok."

The three boys traversed the maze of rope bridges, nearing the boy with the fish mask. Sometimes it seemed as if they were heading in the completely wrong direction, other times it felt as if they had doubled back.

But in the end the four boys stood before a large archway that led into the darkness.

The boys walked through the dark hallway. The boy with the tribal mask skipped ahead, "Let's go! We're almost back to the town." The bull mask dashed behind him, spinning on his heel as he did so, "That was fun!" The child with the fish mask turned and dragged their new friend along "Come on, we have one more friend for you to meet!"

The children sprinted down the hall after each other, jumping, skipping, laughing, playing, and spinning.

**~{ 0 }~**

The sounds of their footsteps echoed off of what sounded like stone walls. Soon a small light appeared in the distance and their footsteps grew faster as they raced toward the exit.

"No shoving!"

"Hey, that's cheating!"

"Hurry up slow poke!"

"Ow that hurt!"

The boys crashed into one another and came tumbling out into the chamber below the clock tower. The great mechanical doors shut behind them as they fell in a laughing joyful heap.

**/\**

Another boy with red hair, hands covering his mask, was standing right in front of them; quietly counting.

"3...2...1..." He removed his hands, revealing a bug-like mask with three eyes.

"Ready or not here I come!"

* * *

_Who is this boy? Well I'm sure you can guess. __Where is he going? I'm sure you know. __Where is he **from**? That's what's important._


	20. For The Light

_"Here is gathered Hyrule's bloody history of greed and hatred..._"

* * *

_**For the Light**_

We are responsible...

And we live in shame for what has transpired. There is no one else left to blame. No one...

You must do well to remember this, little one. It is a story from long ago, but the still the injuries burn as if it were only yesterday. I'm afraid that even the Goddess of Time cannot heal these wounds.

Once we were a proud people. We stood strong and true, between the realms of the light and shadow. But there was a time where some of our kind descended into deep darkness. Do you remember the story I once told you? About the man who spat in the face of the goddesses?

Well I suppose it's about time you learned a little of our people's shadowy past.

**/\/\/\**

We were too bold...

Our kind sought to control the darkness in unimaginable ways. There was once a time where our people were considered outcasts. Now, we are no longer viewed this way. Maybe it is because we have been all but forgotten... Regardless some of our kind, in the pursuit to protect the light, sought to obtain it for themselves.

For what greater power could their be to ward off the darkness than light?

And so they searched for the great artifact that the golden goddesses left in this world upon their departure. They performed terrible rituals. So very terrible. Sacrifice, torture, dismemberment... and even more grotesque were the victims of... reassimilation. Their very bodies and souls were twisted and contorted.

Here, look at this candle. Now, although melted, it still retains its shape, no? It stands straight and true, a bearer of light. But if I twist it and warp it like so... it becomes something terrible to behold. Enough so that you can no longer tell what it once was, let alone it's original purpose. It can no longer hold a flame.

Well it was like this, that our people's souls were mangled by their own power, wisdom, and dare I say it, courage. It was the balance that made them so pitifully unbalanced.

It is ironic, that when our people were closest to divinity is when we were also the farthest from it.

The human heart is a wonderful place. Filled with potential and a bottomless desire. A desire to grow, to learn, to surpass, to live.

But in all its wonderful glory, it is a terrible place. I cannot explain it to you in mere words. There is nothing quite like it when you think about it...

Close your eyes for a moment.

Do you see it?

The never ending blackness behind your eyelids?

It's frightening isn't it?

But look again. There are the remnants of light that dance in the darkness. They seem to go on forever, never ending.

Beautiful isn't it?

Open your eyes. The world looks a little duller now, doesn't it?

In time your eyes will readjust to the world around you. And life goes on.

But some of our kind were entranced by the fragments of pure light. The light that burns most brightly against the darkness.

They searched for the source of the light in the darkness. But they never succeeded. Light is the most beautiful in the dark, but it is impossible to bathe in the light there.

Those who craved the brilliant white Light of the Triforce, endeavored to stop those who sought the light that glowed in the darkness. But it was all for naught.

**~{ 0 }~**

We were too vain...

We thought we were doing it for the greater good, for the sake of the Light. Everything we did was in the pursuit of the Light. Even if we had to close our eyes to the terrible things we were doing.

Some even sought to debase the Light. Performing hexing rituals in a temple far from the sacred lands of Hyrule. They summoned a terrible darkness. Harnessing its power to bring darkness to the world. And some how in their own twisted warped logic, it was all for the sake of the Light.

I cannot even begin to describe the sadness I feel whenever I think of this.

It's more lonely than looking into the darkness.

At least then your mind's eye can fool you into seeing something.

But the sadness of being unable to reach someone's heart. The horrible hollow and empty feeling of looking into someone's eyes and seeing nothing. The tingling yet nonexistent sensation you feel when you stretch your hand out into the dark at night. The simultaneous burden and weightlessness that you feel as you drift in limbo. Unsure what to do, where to go, what to say. Unsure if what you're doing is right or wrong. Unsure if you are of the light or of the darkness.

That is the role we are given...

And it was because our hearts were unbalanced that we could not stop the terrible events that happened before the Era of the Hero of Time. Our Wisdom led us to despair. Our Power sought to protect our own. And our Courage... well our Courage ran out in the long battle.

Once we were a great people. Our people were once part of the great power of three. One soul three tribes. The Shadow, born of darkness and light. We are condemned to the shadows for all eternity, craving the light and life that we seek to protect. We border on madness, as we dance with the darkness. And in the end it seems as if we have succumbed to it. Now we are only one.

**/\**

Before we were a great people.

The ones who were the closest to obtaining the power of the goddess and simultaneously the ones who were the farthest from obtaining the Light.

Such a sad story... isn't it?

* * *

_Boing-oing! They sought to rule over the sacred lands with the power of the goddesses... oh how we have fallen..._


	21. Lost Too Long

"_That guy isn't here anymore. Anybody who comes into the forest will be lost."_

* * *

_**Lost Too Long**_

Do you remember? When you were a child I would often tell you not to go into the Lost Woods?

These days the trees have receded, so maybe you don't recall...

It's a very _mysterious_ wood, said to house all sorts of creatures and plants... And monsters.

Ha ha ha, don't look at your old grandmother like that! You may not believe me now... in this time of peace, but long ago children and even grown men would go into the woods and never come back.

**/\/\/\**

Don't believe this old woman do you?

Well... when _my_ grandmother was a little girl she knew a boy who used to live in this very village... It was a time when the forest was strong and its magic was stronger. When the trees hugged the base of Death Mountain, we lived in fear. For within the shadows lurked something great. Something great... and terrible.

Old magic. Not the magic you know of today. The magic of songs, and light, and shadows... No... this was a magic older than that. It was the magic of the goddesses and the darkness. The forest chose people. Some said that those who could enter the forest and return were the chosen of the forest. Others claimed that those who never returned were the chosen children of the Lost Woods.

Nobody knows for sure...

**~ { 0 }~**

Ah! That's right! The story about the boy!

Let's see...

When my grandmother was barely taller than your knee and her ears were too short to hear the words of the goddess, she knew a little boy

The boy was always getting into mischief. Him with his little flute and his little bird. Oh the tricks they would play on the villagers of Kakariko. He had even boasted he had destroyed the entrance to a temple that lay deep within the woods. No one ever dared confirm it. Only he had claimed to have seen the sacred grove for it was tucked within the maze of trees, claiming all who dared to venture deep into the woods.

Perhaps it was because of his constant childish pranks, or for destroying the stairway to the temple in the forest, I know not; but one rainy day... he vanished.

Time and time again his mother had warned him. "Don't go into the forest."

But time and time again, the boy never listened.

To this day our people cannot understand the power of the forest. The deep and lively silence that fills the forest and our hearts when we enter. There is life and death breathing together in perfect harmony. You couldn't see them. The creatures of the forest. They would hide in the shadows of the trees and bushes. But you could _feel_ them. Their many eyes watching you, shining brightly in the darkness. If you were lucky, or perhaps not so lucky, you would see them.

Well this boy, whether he met a terrible fate at the hands of one of the darker creatures of the forest, I know not. It's possible that he wandered in the forest, unable to leave the loving embrace of the trees. Or maybe he was gobbled up by a monster of the darkness. I know not, nor will I ever know.

**/\**

But what I do know is: that boy with the flute and the pointed orange hat...

Ever since he went missing... You can hear the sounds of a jaunty tune echoing in perfect harmony...

As if there were more than one lost little child, playing together.

* * *

Apologizes...apparently this chapter didn't actually get posted or something. I just realized that chapter 23 was repeated here in place of chapter 21. I don't know how long that was going on. Either way here's the actual chapter 21.

_They say that the old storyteller woman only tells stories about Kakariko village._


	22. Never The Same

_"What do you think happened to the magic wielders who tried to rule the Sacred Realm? They were banished. They were chased across the sacred lands of Hyrule and driven into another realm by the goddesses."_

* * *

_**Never the Same**_

The Colossus stood undisturbed in the barren wasteland. It looks as if it is a mere stone's throw away. But I know better. The sands of the desert are not something to be taken lightly, but it's no challenge for our kind. We had gone back to pay our respects to the forsaken again. While they had embraced the darkness they were still our own.

I scanned the desert looking for the signs of someone crossing the sands. It sparkled silver in the twilight, almost too blinding to look at.

Sweat beaded on my forehead. It had been too long. They had been gone too long.

Chewing the inside of my lip, I felt a wave a revulsion. The Exalted One, me, waiting for the return of a few members. Pitiful. We used to be a great and proud people. Now our strength has dwindled to such a meager number.

I cast one last look over the sands. The sun would rise within the next few hours. It was damn near impossible to cross the desert under the scorching heat of the day. If he was returning he would already have arrived.

A crow let out a raucous caw from somewhere in the distance. I looked up toward the full moon that hung silently in the twilight sky.

This was no hour for the living.

**/\/\/\**

I retired to the fortress, where a flickering candle on a table welcomed me, along with a few of our warriors gathered around a table.

"What's going on?"

My clans-people looked up as I spoke. Their faces were grim.

"Have you heard the news?"

They held up a roll of parchment bearing the seal of the Royal Family of Hyrule.

I grabbed the paper and started to read.

"They intend to trap us here."

"Is this our punishment for helping our own kind?"

"What were we supposed to do? Turn them away."

"Drop it, what's done is done."

"What should we do?"

"What can we do?"

Grasping desperately at the mandate, my heart filled with dread. There was nothing _to_ do. We were at their complete mercy.

"Ke ke ke..."

We turned at the source of the laughter.

"My my, it seems as if we've got quite the conundrum, haven't we?" Koume and Kotake waddled into the room.

"Twinrova!"

Everyone fell to their knees simultaneously, "Forgive us for not noting your presence."

"Oh tosh! Get off the floor this instant!" Koume said waving them up.

Kotake hopped onto a stump and settled down, "We have more important things to deal with."

The other's looked at me for instructions. I could feel all eyes on me as they waited for me to do something. Anything. I released a breath I hadn't realized I was holding and rose to my feet.

"So they want to exile us do they?" Koume said snatching the paper from my outstretched hand. She inspected it, holding it close to her nose. "The King of Hyrule is too kind to place such a harsh mandate on our people."

"Give it here, you blind old bat!" Kotake chastised as she grabbed the paper from her sister. "Hmph! No doubt!"

The two old women poured over the paper.

"My apologizes," I said bowing my head, "What do you mean? Does this mean that this decree is not official?"

"Oh it's official all right, dearie." Kotake said slapping the mandate with the back of her hand for emphasis.

"We can't break the rules, well not outrightedly anyway." Koume folded her arms across her chest and nodded, "We'll need to think of a way out of this one. Yes, indeed."

A voice cut in.

"But you just said the King wouldn't -"

I shot her a look of warning, but she didn't need it. She had stopped speaking on her own.

"Ke ke ke ke..." the twins chuckled in unison. "Oh don't be so afraid my child. Who would you talk to if not us?" They smiled revealing a few cracked and missing teeth.

A sigh of silent relief behind me, echoed the feelings in my own heart. The woman continued,

"If the King wouldn't send out this order, who-"

Kotake held up a finger, "No need to finish that question, my child."

"We are no longer the _three_ who protect the Light."

The Civil War...it couldn't be. While it had only been weeks since the war had ended, we were protectors of the Light! Not some prisoners of war!

I felt my cheeks flare with rage.

"They wouldn't. They're a part of our people. We are the three tribes who protect the Light. They _wouldn't!_ "

"They would." Koume waved the paper in my face bearing the royal seal, "And they have, dearie."

"What should we do then?" I asked angrily. Apparently I couldn't keep the edge of desperation from creeping into my voice for the women smiled and said together.

"Don't give us such a pitiful look. You're shaming the name of the shadows."

I felt the rage fall from my face. The desperation and despair taking its place. We were alone. It seems that we too were to be forsaken in a I dropped my head in shame, "My apologies."

Before I knew what was happening one hand of each old woman was cupping my face. Their eyes were filled with a soft sadness "We've really fallen, haven't we? Can't even do anything about a little piece of paper." A flicker of something else flashed behind their eyes.

**~{ 0 }~**

A soft whimpering sound met my ears.

A small red-headed figure was standing in the doorway, rubbing tears out of her eye. "Mommy..." I withdrew my face from the old women's hands and scooped up my little girl.

"There, there, it's all right." I said running a hand over my daughter's tousled hair.

"But Mommy..." she hiccuped.

"Oh...is this little one the child of our dear Exalted One?" Koume and Kotake were suddenly hovering by my shoulders, peering at the girl in my arms.

I spun away instinctively.

Realizing what I had done I crouched down, "Forgive my rudeness."

"Oh don't be so modest, my child. Who would know better than us? We've been watching over the young King for a long time."

"We've seen it all. We are no stranger to the ways of motherhood."

My eyes widened at their candid tone. I stood, fighting the heartwarming feeling of companionship with the two old women. They really should know the best. Taking in a child and raising him as their own.

The Twinrova sisters smiled, crouching before me, "You are the child of a great warrior, yes?" One said to my daughter.

"One of the best." The other added.

They cupped my daughter's face as they had done mine only moments ago. Tracing a thumb gently down my little girl's face. "You'll be an Exalted One too. We can tell..."

They spoke so softly to my daughter that I almost could not believe it came from the great witches of our clan.

**/\**

I closed the gates myself.

I closed the gates before dawn; before the King's mandate would take effect. I closed the gates on our terms. No trespassers would be allowed to set foot in Gerudo Valley. Rather than let them trap us, we chose to lock them out of our home.

Or at least that's what I plan to tell my daughter when she's old enough to ask.

* * *

Lots of parallels in this one. Look at the old chapters that have Twinrova in it. Maybe it'll help.

_I overheard this... the war that had recently transpired is the war that gave birth to a Hero of Time..._


	23. When Darkness Falls

"_Some call our realm a world of shadows, but that makes it sound so unpleasant.."_

* * *

**_When Darkness Falls_**

They had dismissed him. He bowed and departed from the palace. The people of the realm were quietly and peacefully going about their business. Bright blue and orange dotted the desaturated landscape of the grounds outside of the palace. But to him. All he could see was gray.

He closed his eyes and opened them again. His imagination painted the world spread out before him in its true color.

**/\/\/\**

The sky was gray, dreary, and dead for miles and miles around. The landscape was nothing but gray sky along with the hard gray stone beneath their feet.

Slowly he bent down, running his fingers over the dust that covered everything. The stone between his fingers crumbled and turned to ash.

Holding his palm flat, he waited for the wind to take away the remains. The pile of dust sitting in his hand did not stir. There was no wind in this place.

He tilted his hand and let the gray sand fall to the ground in a trail of dust. The dark clouds hovered in the sky never moved, the sun never shone through the clouds, morning never rose in this place. They were forever trapped in this forsaken realm with its false sun that shone without warmth.

There were figures like him, who were wandering around.

All of them were alone, just as he was.

Each shadowy figure in the distance was of different sizes, some were massive shadows towering over everything, and others were small enough to go unnoticed in the lifeless dirt.

No one tried to speak to each other. They didn't even look around. They probably didn't even think that there were others in this dismal place. Perhaps they had forgotten in their mundane and languid...times.

It seemed as if the others looked only at the ground as if fascinated by the faint shadows they cast on the ground.

No one else was looking around, so he too lowered his head to look at the gray shadow on the gray dirt on the gray rock from the gray sun.

He wanted to cry, but tears wouldn't come.

They couldn't come.

Had he known what a day was, he would have wondered if they had been their for days. Had he known what a year was, he would have wondered if they had been their for years. Had he known what time was, he would have wondered how long they had been there.

But he did not know.

So he could not even wonder how much longer they would be in this gray wasteland.

This gray wasteland: where the sun never shone, where night never fell, where the sky was always gray, where there was nothing but the feeling of emptiness.

What were they doing?

Had he known how to be angry he would have been furious, he had never seen the blue sky, or ever felt the wind on his face. He didn't feel anything. Nothing at all.

But he knew of them. He knew.

He would be reminded that this was their punishment for their ancestors greed. Time and time again he would remember whenever he looked around at the gray expanse around him.

_Regret._

_Regret what you have done._

_Remember and regret._

They had regretted enough hadn't they? They had regretted trying to take what did not belong to humans. How cruel the goddesses were. To create something that could only be used by those of mortal flesh. What twisted experiment could it be? What sick game were they playing? Did the goddesses laugh as they watched their pitiful creations act out a play of their own creation?

He looked down at his hand again; it was the same gray color as everything around him.

It was a sad strange place. And it seemed that everyone else was doing what he was doing.

Regretting.

Acting out their roles in this play.

The role of waiting.

Waiting...

They were waiting...

Slowly he raised his head, looking straight ahead to see the scores of gray figures like him.

For what? What were they waiting for?

He didn't know.

** ~{ 0 }~**

Turning his head to the side slowly and painfully, he saw more figures. More gray figures shuffling around complacently, heads lowered to the ground as they waited.

They were most certainly waiting for something

He tilted his head back to the heavens. He stared up at the false sun above him. The gray light was different. It somehow felt brighter than the monotone color that surrounded him.

**/\**

_Fate will not hand you what you seek._

_No, no it will not... So I ask you child of the forsaken world of shadows_

_Why wait?_

* * *

Lot's of stuff here... if you like **stories about** **caves** this might make more sense. The narrator has a very vivid imagination... or a very gray imagination...

_I overheard this... the last three lines are a different speaker. What's more I hear the original narrator now reveres this voice from the heavens as his new god._


	24. Right Hand Man

"_Look at it with the eye of truth."_

* * *

_**Right Hand Man**_

The air is stagnant and heavy. The smell of decay hangs in the air like a cloying perfume, clinging to what little fresh skin that it can find. The faint sound of clinking metal chains sound within the dark stone passage; sounding almost like a bell...

Quiet moans echo through the narrow halls of the underground research center. Some torturous and screaming faintly in the distance, others the mere heavy labored breathing of something teetering on the edge of death.

If you were to peer into the never-ending darkness you would see the blood of thousands smeared on the walls and floor. If you were to look into the empty cells you would see the rambling of a crazed man. A man who was once renowned for his wisdom along with his Master and his fellow... researcher.

If you were to gaze upon the bloody text on the wall of a cell that even the goddesses fear for the darkness that taints it, you would be convinced that something lurked in the darkness. Flitting on in the periphery of your vision. The darkness is not empty.

There is something there.

Something.

Something terrible.

And it's waiting...

Waiting for you...

Waiting silently in the shadows...

Waiting...

With open arms...

Ha ha ha...

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**/\/\/\**

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,HA,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

,,,,,HA,,,,,,,,,AHAHA,,,,,,,,,,HA,,,,,

,,AHAHA,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,AHAHA,,

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,HAHAHAHA,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

,A,,,AH,,,,,,,,,,A,,,,,,,,,,,HA,,,A,

,,,,,HA,,,,,,AHAHAHAHA,,,,,,AH,,,,,

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,AH,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,HA,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,AHAH,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

**~{ 0 }~**

Now is the time to laugh! Laugh! Be merry! This is all for the Light! All for the sake of the Light!

Yes...

Research... so much research! The delectable screams and pleas for help! They begged. Oh they begged. They begged for life! So we gave it to them! Life! Life for the Light!

Many years of... research! We finally completed it! Our life's ambition!

An eye... an eye... an eye!

An eye! Oh a wonderful eye! See no evil!

Find the truth! See through the darkness! See the shadows at their work! See the spirits as they regret! Regret! Regret! Regret!

A face! A familiar face! No... not that face! A face for those without a face! Quiet watchers... they listen, they watch, they speak! Speak no lies. Only truth. Yes truth... truth!

A stone! A stone from the oldest earth! So many secrets does this land hold. Yes, so many secrets! We're a secret! Yes... very secret! So very very secret... in the shadows... in the shadows... for the Light! The Light!

The three. We're three! Yes we are! We're three! Even if you separate us we are three! Oh yes! Yes yes yes! The Master is the head! Yes the head! The one-eyed head!

Left hand! Yes need a left hand! Where is the left hand? You have it don't you? Left hand, where?! Bong...

Right hand! Right hand! Bong bong bong! Hm... where is the Right hand? Oh that's me!

Right hand! Left hand! Bong bong bong!

Three three three... great power in three...

The Darkness

The Darkness

The Darkness is coming...

It's coming

It's coming

It's coming

It's here...

Show the world! Show the world what we do! Show them how we protect them from the Darkness! Reveal the darkness to the world! Embrace it!

Can you see it?

Can you see past the darkness? Hmmmm? Hmmmmmmm? Hmmmmmmmmm?!

Monsters so many monsters in the darkness...

Must destroy them

Monsters

Darkness

It's coming...

One that no one can see.

He's not gone. Master's not gone. He made the Trinity. Rule of three, rule of three, rule of three. He's not gone. Need a third. One eye, right hand, left hand. Bong bong bong.

So many hands! Dead Hands!

**/\**

I'll be the hand!

The left hand!

Bong bong bong!

* * *

Ah the crazy narrators... I just can't seem to get enough of them, even though they are difficult to work with.

_They say that there were two well-known researchers who worked with a man who could see the truth. Where did they go? Only those from the Shadows know... but they say that the others who worked alongside them were sent to the underworld... to a world of shadows._


	25. The Great Balance

"_...the sacred triangle...it is a balance that weighs the three forces..._"

* * *

_**The Great Balance**_

We stand as the first and final barrier between the Light and the Darkness. Who will protect the Light? It is too pure... too good... too sacred to understand the evil that lurks in the heart

Who will protect the Light? If not us? Those born of darkness and light. We are the shadow.

With our power we will set out to protect the Light. With grace and goodness our hearts are filled with joy. We live for the sake of the Light. If we could, we would cry from happiness.

But we cannot cry. There is too much at stake.

This beautiful land we call the Surface... that we call Hyrule...

The Great Goddesses had left behind their sacred power to inspire us to reach the highest point of enlightenment. Balance...

The Great Balance...

Earth, Sea, and Sky.

Past, Present, and Future.

Power, Wisdom, and Courage.

Light, Darkness, and Shadow

**/\/\/\**

We wander the plains of the human heart. Now, for hundreds of thousands of years we have wandered. The human heart is easily led astray. We have made a wide path for others to follow... Where are we going? It is too great... too vast... too unknown for us to ever be able to comprehend. This thing we call a heart.

We cannot paint the canvas of our lives in the myriad of colors that others experience life with. We do not know the joys of life in the light. Our colors are the deepest and most vibrant, even though we are limited in choice. We are the children of the shadows.

With great wisdom we will set out to understand the power of the Shadows. With logic and knowledge our minds are filled with peace. We live for the sake of the Light. If we could, we would cry with empathy.

But we cannot cry. There is too much at stake.

This endless land we call the Surface... that we call Hyrule...

The Great Goddesses had left behind their sacred power to inspire us to seek enlightenment. Balance...

The Great Balance...

Earth, Sea, and Sky.

Past, Present, and Future.

Power, Wisdom, and Courage.

Light, Darkness, and Shadow

__**{ 0 }~**

We protect those blessed by the Light, those who will never know what we have sacrifice. Do they not know what we have done? For the ages past we have deserted our most basic desires; to laugh, to live, to cry. Do they not know? Do they not know what we have done for the sake of the Light?

Do they know? Do they know that they have forsaken us?

With courage we will protect those who had forsaken us. With the little strength we have we will go forth. We live for the sake fo the Light. If we could, we would cry from loneliness.

But we cannot cry. There is too much at stake.

This heavy burden we call the Surface... that we call Hyrule...

The Great Goddesses had left behind their sacred power to drive us to seek its light.

Yes...

We need their power...

We need their power to protect that which they created. Why else would they leave it? Why else would the not allow the original Light to wield their power?

The Triforce is not of the Darkness or the Light. It makes no distinction between the two. It was made for us.

Yes!

Light cannot outshine light!

Light cannot radiate through the vast reaches of darkness!

That's it!

Light needs shadows! It needs them! It needs them to shine the brightest! To dull the darkness and to dim the light! That's it! That must be it!

The Goddesses knew this! That is why the Light and Darkness are as different as night and day!

They require balance! Shadow makes the balance possible! Between night and day there is twilight! Between black and white there is gray! Between light and darkness there is shadow!

We are the shadow! We are the Shadows!

This is our duty! This must be our duty!

We are the ones who have the power!

We are the ones chosen by the Golden Goddesses!

Who are we to deny them?

**/\**

We cannot cry.

The nature of the task given to our tribe.

Rule of three.

* * *

There's actually quite a few reused quotes in here, but I suppose you won't be able to tell right now.

_I overheard this... they say that the number of sages is actually 9. I wonder if 9 has some importance as well as the Rule of Three?_


	26. Live for us

"_In a realm beyond sight,/The sky shines gold, not blue./ There, the Triforce's might /Makes mortal dreams come true._"

* * *

_**Live for us**_

You have been chosen. You are born and blessed by the Light. The people of the realm are quietly and peacefully going about their business. There are colors all around you.

You close your eyes and open them again. Your imagination paints the world spread out before you in its true color.

**/\/\/\**

The golden sky fills the world from one horizon to the other. The land is filled with lush green grass that is so soft you would scarce believe it.

You bend down, and run your fingers over the green; the grass between your fingers feels like cool liquid water.

A slight breeze dances around, taking away any remains of unplesant thoughts. The grass stirs, rustling playfully. The calming sound of the waves splashing against the shore is deep and warm, like a mother hushing her child to sleep. There is no war in this place.

There are no clouds in the sky. But it is never too hot, nor is the wind ever too bitterly cold. The sky never moves, the sun never falters, darkness never falls in this place. It is a good place, filled with light and warmth.

There are others, wandering around.

All of them... just like you.

Everyone is of a different size. Some are massive shadows towering over everything, and others are small enough to go unnoticed in the summery green grass.

No one speaks to each other. They don't need to. They understand each other. Perhaps they had forgotten how to speak in their happy and peaceful times.

It seems as if they look at everything; as if fascinated by this realm of light.

You raise your head, too. Everyone else is looking around, drinking in the bright colors of sky, land, and sea. Life is good. So very good.

You are filled with a feeling... a light feeling. As if all the light of the world has cleansed you: body, mind, and soul.

There is a feeling... a feeling...

Had you known what this feeling was, you would wonder why you had never felt it before. Had you known that the world could be so bright, you would have wondered why you had closed your eyes. Had you known what you had been missing, you would have wondered how long you had been missing it.

And now you know.

**~{ 0 }~**

This is a sacred place: where the sun always shines, where night never falls, where the sky is always gold, where there is nothing but the feeling... the feeling of peace.

What have you been doing?

Now you know this feeling. You have seen the golden sky. You have felt the wind on your face. You have felt happiness. You have been graced by the Light.

You know it... You know...

You are reminded that this is your gift from the Goddesses. Time and time again you will remember looking around the colorful world around you.

_Enjoy._

_Enjoy this wonderful feeling._

_Enjoy and be at peace._

You have your time in the sun. You need to remember what you have. How amazing the Goddesses are. To create something so wonderful for those of mortal flesh. What better gift could there be? What glorious plan have they created? Do the Goddesses smile and laugh as they watch us live peacefully in a world of their creation?

You look down at your own hands. It is the same bright color as everything around you.

It is a truly wonderful place. And it seems that everyone else is doing what you are doing.

Enjoying.

Living out their lives in this wonderful world.

The lives of the Light.

Living...

You are living...

**/\**

_Fate has handed you what you seek, child of the Sacred Realm._

_So I ask you, please live your life in the Light to the fullest._

_Live in the Light... for those who cannot..._

* * *

I'm not sure if this is an uplifting chapter or not...

_They say that those who live in The World of Shadows long for the Light you have. Not only that, I hear that they want to cry from the longing they feel to have what you have... but we cannot... __We cannot cry..._


	27. Listen to Those Passed

"_This statue's one-eyed gaze pierces into your mind..._"

* * *

_**Listen To Those Passed**_

They'll speak to us. They can't speak to us. Our words fall on deaf ears. What are we? We're not making any sense! There is mysterious power in these notes. No one cares about a relic like us! We overheard this! Just keep listening~just keep listening~ The goddess's chosen guardians. Listen! Draw us into the infinite darkness that absorbs even time. Tee hee hee hee! Only 0:00 remaining! Never be allowed to threaten the world again. Sometimes friends are the worst enemies! Oh oh oh do we think they'll come talk to us?...contain all the evil power in the void of the Realm...Oh my! We must protect this beautiful land of Hyrule. Please come listen to us! The power of the heart. We can hear the spirits whispering. They and I will surely meet again someday. Something...The strength of the Triforce of Power enabled him to become a might, evil king, but his dark ambitions were not satisfied. It's incredibly boring! We are the last resident of this poor village. ...sure...oh! ...A mysterious rod was handed down from the people of the sky... Look for the eye of truth...We're telling us they won't listen to us...Boing-oing! There must be someone who will listen...transformed Hyrule into a world of monsters. Here lie the souls of those who swore fealty to the Royal Family of Hyrule...They swore allegiance to the King of Hyrule. It's a secret! If we would seek the sacred triangle, listen well...Who can listen to the voice of the earth. We've been waiting. Survivor! How we have fallen. They can only listen to those who speak the truth. We owe it all to you, kid! Hee hee hee! We are a being of this age. Let's listen! We found it! How about it? Listen and wait. The legend came true. That's what we heard. Words! We crave words! Listen for what is hidden in the darkness. Patience. But we're only 400 years old! We can listen in on other people's minds. We cannot see! We've seen your fine work! Let us see! The nature of the task given to our tribe. We're counting on you! Listen to our spirits in their eternal slumber. Please! Once every 100 years, a special child is born unto our people. A childish mind will turn to noble ambition. We want to know! The one who holds the Triforce of Courage...They want to know! Will we help us look? Can't they see? Someone must stay behind...Let us speak! Many thought we had died out! Passed down through time. Times have changed! Our voice must be heard! We gather and wait. Heed our words! They won't listen. It's become an awful place...They can't see! We really messed up... Speak! Will we do it? We are going to cry...we cannot be seen, heard, nor can we speak. Not longer part of this world.

Mute.

******/\/\/\**

_We...we...know...know...all...all..._

_Stand...stand...before...before...us...us...and... and...we...we...shall...shall...listen...listen... _

_Only...only...those...those...with...with...a...a. ..pure...pure...heart...heart._

_Can...can...hear...hear...our...our...voices...voi ces..._

_Come...come...forward...forward..._

_Heed...heed...the...the...knowledge...knowledge... of...of...the...the...past...past..._

**~{ 0 }~**

_Our...below...quiet..._

_They...information...death._

_...eye...Sheikah...whether...past...future._

_...meaningless...shadow._

_...has...gone...their...are...it...the..._

...story...dead...in...images...people.

...see...is...than...the...the...as...

There...and...which...heed...

An...carved...emblem...people.

...wear...you...new...the...those...

The...this...was...by...

But...wise...all-knowing.

...lament...with...face...we...away...great...the. ..

The...will...you...a...terrible...not...the...

The...the...in...of...

Be...power...three...the...

The...the...the...alter...of...

My...placed...with...and...they...about...golden.. .

...should...there...too...and...lead...our...

...cannot...that...to...the...

...our...endeavored...to...the...in...

...the...performed...duty...immemorial.

...over...light...Triforce...as...gate...darkness. ..light.

...the...of...light.

...condemned...shadows...eternity...light...that.. .to...bordering...as...with...

Our...once...the...of...tribes...to...Sheikah.

...each...the...

...people...as...were...proud...served...goddess.. .

...sought...the...their...

The...known...Twili...a...who...darkness...worked. ..name...to...to...

The...known...Protectors...Royal...once...who...el evate...where...could...

These...made...is...as...

But...heart...led...

...wanders...path...side...

...hundreds...thousands...our...wandered...the...o f...

But...so...a...for...follow.

...are...and...even...palette...limited.

...the...the...outcasts...light...dark.

...nowhere.

...their...of...laugh...to...

...the...have...by...yet...to...who...them.

...endless...are...who...power...the...and...to... its...terrible...

...go...children...

...will...themselves.

...are...of...

While...are...part...world...not...stand...path.

...no...we...bodies...

...are...from...

For...the...long...is...there...the...always...

...have...duty...this...the...darkness.

...not...child.

...the...

...cannot...

******/\**

_We...we...are...are...the...the...remainders...rem ainder..._

_All...all...who...who...have...have...walked...wal ked...upon...this...this...land...land..._

_In...in...the...the...shadows...shadows...for...fo r...all...all...time...time..._

* * *

Life's been rather busy for the past few weeks, so thank you for your patience and understanding. Sorry that this chapter is so late. Check back again within the next 24 hours for another chapter.

_I overheard this... this information took a long time to organize. But that's not the important part! They say there are **three **chapters that go **hand-in-hand **with each other. It's a secret, but I heard that this is **one** of the three!_


	28. How it Began

"_Before spirits and life existed, these three goddesses descended upon the chaos that was Hyrule."_

* * *

**_How it Began_**

Before Hyrule's Rebirth, before the Great Voyage, before the Great Sea, before the time without a hero...

Before the resurrection of Vaati, before the invasion of twilight, before Ganondorf's execution, before the moon fell...

Before the resurrection of Ganon is stopped, before the resurrection of Ganon has started, before the tragedy of Princess Zelda...

Before Ganondorf became the Demon King Ganon, before the world was claimed by Ganondorf, before the Civil War, before the rise of Vaati...

Before Hyrule, before the Sacred Realm was sealed, before the first Link set foot on the Surface...

Before Hylia...

Before the three goddesses descended upon the chaos that was Hyrule.

Before the chaos.

Before time existed.

Before there was light and darkness.

There was a shadow.

******/\/\/\**

There is Chaos.

No order.

There is nothing...

A complete and utter abyss.

Gaping

Vast

Silent

Blind

Mute

Empty...

**~{ 0 }~**

There is no sky. No darkness. No light. Just this shadow.

There is no land. There is nothing to feel.

There is no order. There is nothing to _feel_.

There is no life. There is _nothing_ to feel.

This is a place... if we can call it that. This is a place where there is nothing.

It surrounds us.

But there is no warmth. No love.

It embraces us.

But there is no uneasiness. No fear.

It cradles us.

And there is nothing.

We are not aware that there is nothing.

We do not understand.

But now

We are filled with a feeling...

There is a feeling... a feeling...

We do not have the capability to fully understand this feeling...

But we are filled with a feeling we are unable to explain.

We are not certain, but we believe this is a feeling of...emptiness.

We feel...empty.

We know what this feeling is now. We wonder why we had never felt it before. Had we known that it was so empty we would have done something. We didn't know that we didn't know. We don't even have something to measure how long we have been missing it. How long we haven't known.

And now we know.

**/\**

_Before we knew the feeling of emptiness._

_Before there was light, darkness, and shadow._

_There was nothing._

* * *

There will be another chapter shortly.

_Boing-Oing! Only 7 remaining!_


	29. Filled with Emptiness

"_Before spirits and life existed, these three goddesses descended upon the chaos that was Hyrule."_

* * *

**_Filled with Emptiness_**

Before Hyrule's Rebirth, before the Great Voyage, before the Great Sea, before the time without a hero...

Before the resurrection of Vaati, before the invasion of twilight, before Ganondorf's execution, before the moon fell...

Before the resurrection of Ganon is stopped, before the resurrection of Ganon has started, before the tragedy of Princess Zelda...

Before Ganondorf became the Demon King Ganon, before the world was claimed by Ganondorf, before the Civil War, before the rise of Vaati...

Before Hyrule, before the Sacred Realm was sealed, before the first Link set foot on the Surface...

Before Hylia...

Before the three goddesses descended upon the chaos that was Hyrule.

Before the chaos.

Before time existed.

Before there was light and darkness.

There was a shadow.

**/\/\/\**

…

**~{ 0 }~**

There is no sky. No darkness. No light. Just this shadow.

There is no land. There is nothing.

There is no order. There is nothing.

There is no life. There is _nothing._

It surrounds us.

But there is no warmth. No love.

It embraces us.

But there is no uneasiness. No fear.

It cradles us.

And there is nothing.

We are aware that there is nothing.

We understand.

And now

We are filled with a feeling...

There is a feeling... a feeling...

We do not have the capability to fully understand this feeling...

But we are filled with a feeling we are unable to explain.

We are not certain, but we believe this is a feeling of... desire.

We feel... a desire to fill this emptiness. To create...

We know what this feeling is now. We wonder why we had never felt it before. Had we known that creating could be so tantalizing we would have created something before. We didn't know that we didn't know. We don't even have something to measure how late we are. How long we haven't known.

And now we know.

**/\**

_Before we knew the feeling of desire._

_Before there was light, darkness, and shadow._

_There was nothing._

* * *

No, that second section is not a mistake. There is nothing.

_Boing-Oing! Only 6 remaining!_


	30. Desire to Create

_"Before spirits and life existed, these three goddesses descended upon the chaos that was Hyrule."_

* * *

**_Desire to Create_**

Before Hyrule's Rebirth, before the Great Voyage, before the Great Sea, before the time without a hero...

Before the resurrection of Vaati, before the invasion of twilight, before Ganondorf's execution, before the moon fell...

Before the resurrection of Ganon is stopped, before the resurrection of Ganon has started, before the tragedy of Princess Zelda...

Before Ganondorf became the Demon King Ganon, before the world was claimed by Ganondorf, before the Civil War, before the rise of Vaati...

Before Hyrule, before the Sacred Realm was sealed, before the first Link set foot on the Surface...

Before Hylia...

Before the three goddesses descended upon the chaos that was Hyrule.

Before the chaos.

Before time existed.

Before there was light and darkness.

There was a shadow.

**/\/\/\**

How unnerving this emptiness is.

How terrible.

How horribly lonely it is.

We are filled with a desire.

A desire to create.

So we will.

We descend upon the vast emptiness, upon the Chaos.

We need something to fill the void.

So I will create the earth and shaped the land.

Oh my! How amazing!

This new and wonderful thing!

Land! So beautiful. Flat at first.

But what about going down?

Down.

A cut.

A deep cut.

How surreal.  
Profound chasms where you are surrounded by cliffs.

Cliffs that tower over you and feel like they're closing you in.

Such a stark difference from the nothingness before.

Before when it was empty.

I tire of chasms.

Perhaps its time to try something new.

A gentle slope that rolls slowly down and then back up again.

Ever so gracefully rising with such a gentle feeling. I can only imagine.

I can only imagine how a series of these hills will look in succession. A field of hills...

To suddenly spike! Into a towering mountain. Yes! Mountains. So many mountains! How glorious! How imposing! Yes!

A mountain is a wonderful creation. Look how it looms over everything else. Like a God over all the others.

I like it. It's such a grand spot. You can see everything from the top of a mountain!

The flat lands that now fill the once empty expanse of shadow.

How beautiful they look. What would it be like to walk across?

Surrounded by the endless potential to go absolutely anywhere?

To descend if you so choose.

Into the chasm.

Where it's dark.

Dark.

Quiet.

You can listen.

To footsteps.

Your steps.

Echoing.

Off the walls.

But they will stop.

As the walls fall away you will suddenly be cast into a vast world.

A world with something new. Something like the flat plains, but different.

Hills. The endless hills that rise and fall. They create the most wonderful slopes.

What would it be like to walk up a hill and to revel in seeing what you could not see before?

What would it be like to lie down, nestled by the hills? The comforting feeling of earth below your back.

The smell of dirt surrounding you. Clean and fresh. The deep and rich color. Or maybe not.

Maybe it would be a hill of rock. Full of a multitude of grays. Perhaps flecks of black?

The cool and cold feeling that is pleasant to the touch. The strong smooth feeling.

The feeling of stone below your fingers. Or maybe it won't be smooth.

Perhaps rough and rocky to the touch. Yes, that too.

Hm... something is missing. It's to bland by far.

Brown, tan, beige, black, darks and lights! Colors of the land. Blues and greens and every color imaginable.

Some buried deep within the ground. In the lovely mountains.

Full of colors. Browns of all shades, black for some, white for this part. And maybe some more gray.

And red. How I do like red.

So bright and vibrant. Unlike anything I've ever seen before. How wonderful it looks on the great mountains.

And now I look up. And I am saddened.

There is only land.

**~{ 0 }~**

There is no sky. No darkness. No light. Just this shadow.

There is no order. There is nothing.

There is no life. There is nothing.

There is only land.

It grounds us.

And now

We are filled with a feeling...

There is a feeling... a feeling...

We do not have the capability to fully understand this feeling...

But we are filled with a feeling we are unable to explain.

We are not certain, but we believe this is a feeling of... disorder

We feel... a desire to establish something this emptiness. To establish... order

We know what this feeling is now. We wonder why we had never felt it before. Had we known that creating could be so tantalizing we would have created something before. We didn't know that we didn't know. We don't even have something to measure how late we are. How long we haven't known.

And now we know.

**/\**

_Before we knew how to establish order._

_Before there was light, darkness, and shadow._

_There was nothing._

* * *

Sometimes there is more than a rule of three.

_Boing-Oing! Only 5 remaining! _


	31. To Establish Order

_"Before spirits and life existed, these three goddesses descended upon the chaos that was Hyrule."_

* * *

_**To Establish Order**_

Before Hyrule's Rebirth, before the Great Voyage, before the Great Sea, before the time without a hero...

Before the resurrection of Vaati, before the invasion of twilight, before Ganondorf's execution, before the moon fell...

Before the resurrection of Ganon is stopped, before the resurrection of Ganon has started, before the tragedy of Princess Zelda...

Before Ganondorf became the Demon King Ganon, before the world was claimed by Ganondorf, before the Civil War, before the rise of Vaati...

Before Hyrule, before the Sacred Realm was sealed, before the first Link set foot on the Surface...

Before Hylia...

Before the three goddesses descended upon the chaos that was Hyrule.

Before the chaos.

Before time existed.

Before there was light and darkness.

There was a shadow.

**/\/\/\**

How unnerving this lawlessness is.

How terrible.

How horribly chaotic it is.

So we will make laws.

To Establish Order

So I will.

I will create the laws that will govern the land.

The Rule of Three.

Shadow, light, and darkness.

How beautiful. The way light glows and shines. How it illuminates everything around it. And the darkness enhancing the light, allowing it to burn even more brightly. Shadows to support the light and to provide a bridge to the shadows.

Twilight, Day, and Night.

The shadows are thrown back by the brilliance of the light. How wonderful the day is. Filled with the golden beauty of the light. So blindingly bright. How unfair to the darkness. To create a time for the darkness. A fantastically still and quiet night. As if you were once again cradled by the Chaos before the world. And the Twilight to allow this endless cycle of time to continue. Oh my...when did that happen? It was certainly not my own doing.

Sun, Moon, and Stars.

The light from the Sun hits the land and illuminates it. What a glorious thing it is! Bathed in golden light for all eternity. But how unfair. How unfair to the darkness to never experience any light. I shall grant it the moon, which will quietly smile down upon the land of night. The shadows need a place to play in the darkness anyway. And what shadow can exist without light? Their counterparts will light the night sky as stars.

Land, sea and sky.

Magnificent. The sea fills the glorious land's deepest crevices. Rivers cross the great plains, flowing in a pattern. The sky fills the emptiness that hangs above the world with a beautiful blue color. The water reflects the deepest blues of the sky like a great mirror.

What a wonderful color this blue is.

So deep and serene. And yet it can be so playful and light. Comforting and gentle, yet bold and bright. How perfect it looks on the vast expanse of sea and sky that follow my laws to make such wonderful patterns.

And now I look around. And I am saddened.

There is only land and order.

**~{ 0 }~**

There is no life. There is nothing.

There is land.

There is only order.

It gives us understanding.

And now

We are filled with a feeling...

There is a feeling... a feeling...

We do not have the capability to fully understand this feeling...

But we are filled with a feeling we are unable to explain.

We are not certain, but we believe this is a feeling of... loneliness

We feel... a desire to give something more to this barren land. To give... life.

We know what this feeling is now. We wonder why we had never felt it before. Had we known that creating could be so tantalizing we would have created something before. We didn't know that we didn't know. We now have something to measure how late we are. How long we haven't known. But when did we get such a thing?

We don't know.

**/\**

_Before we knew how to give life._

_Before there was light, darkness, and shadow._

_There was nothing._

* * *

In this case the rule of three still applies. Or has it been more from the start?

_Boing-Oing! Only 4 remaining! _


	32. Gift of Life

_"Before spirits and life existed, these three goddesses descended upon the chaos that was Hyrule."_

* * *

_**Gift of Life**_

Before Hyrule's Rebirth, before the Great Voyage, before the Great Sea, before the time without a hero...

Before the resurrection of Vaati, before the invasion of twilight, before Ganondorf's execution, before the moon fell...

Before the resurrection of Ganon is stopped, before the resurrection of Ganon has started, before the tragedy of Princess Zelda...

Before Ganondorf became the Demon King Ganon, before the world was claimed by Ganondorf, before the Civil War, before the rise of Vaati...

Before Hyrule, before the Sacred Realm was sealed, before the first Link set foot on the Surface...

Before Hylia...

Before the three goddesses descended upon the chaos that was Hyrule.

Before the chaos.

Before time existed.

Before there was light and darkness.

There was a shadow.

**/\/\/\**

How unnerving this barren landscape is for all of its beauty.

How terrible.

How horribly lonely it is.

So we will give this land.

Gift of Life.

So I will.

I will create the life that will uphold the law.

Life in the sea.

Filled with blues and greens. Fish darting to and fro as they swim in the swirling currents of the ocean. Dark green plants wave their fronds from the underwater cliffs, inviting small shelled creatures to nestle beside them. Great fish larger than anything you could ever imagine dwarf the small brightly colored fish that swim near the coastline. Seahorses of pink coral and gold frolic happily as if they were playing a game. Crabs scurry hurriedly along the coastline, digging into the soft sands as I approach. I can already feel that there are thousands of creatures already living and growing in the seas. Even ones that I never could have imagined.

Life in the sky.

Birds soar through the sky their wings flapping gracefully before spreading out to catch the air current that will bring them higher. They circle among the clouds effortlessly. Trilling their wonderful songs in the golden light of the day. Some even fly during the night, quietly soaring on dark wings through the silvery blue moonlight. Birds of every color: reds, golds, browns, tan, black, gray, white, yellows, purples, teal, lavender, orange, violet, blues, and even greens. How I do like the color green.

Life on the land

I will breathe life into the land. This wonderful land. Grasses so lush, soft, and cool that it feels like water when you walk across it. A sea of grass that covers the rolling hills. Trees dot the landscape providing shade from the hot sun. Golden green light dots the rocks and grass below. The sounds of a stream flowing steadily along. How relaxing. Vines climb the nearby cliff face in an intricate tangle of twisting stems and leaves. What would it be like to climb it?

Flowers dot the land at the top of the cliff. A vast array of colors and shapes. Some big and bright, others subdued and shy. This one has six petals, that one has three, this one turns into a delicious fruit filled with sweet juices. This small brown seed with one day grow into a proud tree that will stand straight and true. This tree will grow crooked, as if it was trying to explore the world without moving from the spot where it took root. Trees. So many trees.

A forest! A delightful forest of all things green!

But still its missing something...

Ah of course. I gave creatures to the sea and sky, but none to the land.

For the land I will create creatures. They may go where they please and uphold the laws of the land. They must protect that which we have created. They must keep order between the extremes. They must balance the terribly wonderful things we have created. Like the shadows balance light and dark.

They too can explore the vast forest, walk among the trees, taste the sweet nectar of the fruit, admire the beauty of the flowers and smell the bright colors that burst forth from them, climb the cliffs and mountains and stand on top of the world, bathe in the bubbling stream during the heat of the day.

And perhaps, one day they too will sit beneath this tree and listen to the sound of the birds. Feel the wind upon their skin as it brushes past like a whisper. Sit on the liquid cool grass that tickles their feet. And perhaps, they too will close their eyes and just drink in all that we have created.

And perhaps they too will be filled with a feeling.

The feeling that this wonderfully green world that we have created is something worth having the courage to fight for.

**~{ 0 }~**

There is land.

There is order.

There is life.

And somewhere along the way there is now Time. Time to enjoy the fruits of our labors. A brief moment to just breathe and feel completely at peace. We have filled the emptiness. We have created. We have established order. We have given life.

But some how...

We are filled with a feeling...

There is a feeling... a feeling...

We do not have the capability to fully understand this feeling...

But we are filled with a feeling we are unable to explain.

We are not certain, but we believe this is a feeling of... sadness

We feel... so sad.

But why?

We know what this feeling is now. We wonder why we had never felt it before. Had we known that creating could be so tantalizing we would have created something before. We didn't know that we didn't know. We didn't know that completing it would be so... bittersweet. It's everything we could have imagined and more. And yet...

**/\**

_Before we knew sadness._

_Before there was light, darkness, and shadow._

_There was nothing._

* * *

There has always been something more.

_Boing-Oing! Only 3 remaining! _


	33. Our Sad Regret

_"Before spirits and life existed, these three goddesses descended upon the chaos that was Hyrule."_

* * *

_**Our Sad Regret**_

Before Hyrule's Rebirth, before the Great Voyage, before the Great Sea, before the time without a hero...

Before the resurrection of Vaati, before the invasion of twilight, before Ganondorf's execution, before the moon fell...

Before the resurrection of Ganon is stopped, before the resurrection of Ganon has started, before the tragedy of Princess Zelda...

Before Ganondorf became the Demon King Ganon, before the world was claimed by Ganondorf, before the Civil War, before the rise of Vaati...

Before Hyrule, before the Sacred Realm was sealed, before the first Link set foot on the Surface...

Before Hylia...

Before the three goddesses descended upon the chaos that was Hyrule.

Before the chaos.

Before time existed.

Before there was light and darkness.

There was a shadow.

**/\/\/\**

We created this place to fill the emptiness. And from our desire to create a world was born. Order was established to give the world direction. We gave it the gift of life so that others might enjoy our creation too**.**

We imagined this place to be a paradise.

And it was.

But it was so much more.

We could never have given this place such wonderful life without the help of our own creations. We could never have created such wonderful things that work within the confines of the rules of the world. We could never have formed such wonderful things using the land. We could never have imagined what a beautiful place this world would become.

We are filled with a sadness.

**~{ 0 }~**

We have created such a wonderful and beautiful thing. And yet we feel so sad.

So very sad.

And so very tired.

Yes...

Tired.

It is time or us to go...

What a sad goodbye.

But this is not the end.

No...

No it is not...

It is only the beginning isn't it?

We are filled with a feeling...

There is a feeling... a feeling...

We do not have the capability to fully understand this feeling...

But we are filled with a feeling we are unable to explain.

We have felt many things now.

And even with all our understanding, we cannot explain this feeling.

This feeling of letting go.

This sad feeling of saying goodbye, but knowing it is not the end.

Even after everything we are unable to explain.

We are not certain, but we believe this is the feeling of...happiness.

Yes... that is it.

Our work here is at an end, and even now we feel our power waning.

We created a world that we desired. We must leave something for them to do the same.

So to you we bestow our power. The power to fulfill any desire you wish. We do not understand the difference between good and evil. We cannot judge. In the end there is only nothing. Just as it was in the beginning.

And yet, there is solace in the shadows. In the emptiness.

We can always start again. Even when all is gone.

Yes...

It truly is only the beginning.

This is our last and final wish that we would like to relay to you.

May we meet again in another life.

No...

We will surely meet again someday.

**/\**

_Before we knew happiness._

_Before there was light, darkness, and shadow._

_There is nothing._

_And yet, there will always be something more._

* * *

There is a small paradox in the Rule of Three. I wonder if you can see it. It has always been there.

_Boing-Oing! Only 2 remaining! _


	34. Rule of Three

"_Handed down by the gods of old, this power gave its holder the means to make any desire a reality. Such was the might of the ultimate power that the old ones placed it in the care of the goddess."_

* * *

**_On Our Own_**

_Goodbye..._

**/\/\/\**

The Goddesses were gone, and then there was one.

She ruled over the land with the power they bestowed upon her. And she ruled fairly, with great power, courage, and wisdom.

However, by through some great folly or insight, the Goddess herself could not use the power the Golden Ones had given her. Some claim it was in order to give all the living creatures hope and to balance the scales of power. Others claim it was the Goddesses riddle that was meant to be solved. Some even thought it was the Goddesses intent to make them suffer or to make them realize that their desires could never be obtained.

And there were even a few who thought that this was not so. They believed the Goddess could use the power of the Triforce, but that she had everything she desired. Or even feared the power to grant any wish. For if any wish could be granted, then we would never be able to experience everything this world has to offer.

But the truth?

No one knows. Not even Hylia herself.

**~{ 0 }~**

But one thing is certain. If you were blessed enough to see Her Grace you would certainly be in awe of her brilliance. She shone with the light of the sun. Some claimed that she was the embodiment of Light herself.

**/\**

But by the laws of the Goddesses.

If there is light there must also be darkness.

And there was Darkness.

* * *

"_One dark, fateful day, the earth cracked wide and malevolent forces rushed forth from the fissure. They mounted a brutal assault upon the surface people, driving the land into deep despair... They burnt forests to ash, choked the land's sweet springs, and murdered without hesitation. They did all this in their lust to take the ultimate power protected by Her Grace, the goddess._"

* * *

**_Like the Goddesses_**

_There is always something more..._

**/\/\/\**

If there is light there must also be darkness. This is one of the laws of the world. And there was Darkness. If Hylia was the embodiment of Light, then he would be considered the embodiment of Darkness. His heart was filled with desire. The same desire the Goddesses had once felt. The desire to fulfill the emptiness within his heart.

He tried to fill the emptiness. But no matter what he created it never came out the way he imagined. He tried and tried and tried again. But time and time again he could make nothing that could match to the fantastic creations of the Goddesses.

He was able to create lands, but they were dark and full of shadows. Flat and inorganic, they somehow look intentionally constructed in a specific way. Manmade.

He could make order and provide laws for the lands he created, but they were pale comparisons to the simple and elegant designs the Goddesses had created. And he couldn't seem to delve from the basic rules they had instilled in his world, for he knew nothing else. And it always seemed as if he forgot some small detail that resulted in incomplete order. And anything that is not order is chaos. His worlds were full of chaos.

He tried to make life, but nothing he created had the joyful feeling of life that the ones the Goddesses had made. It wasn't a matter of ability, but rather of talent. He could build creatures, but they were just as twisted as he was. They were horrid and scary, people would often run away from them. And so like him his creations' hearts grew twisted and sad.

**~{ 0 }~**

Why?

Why couldn't he do it?

All he wanted was to create.

But he couldn't.

What could he do?

Destroy.

And so he did.

He and his malevolent creations fell upon the land that the Goddesses had created in an attempt to assert their existence. If they could not exist in the light, they would at the very least exist in the minds of those in the Light. They brought death with them. Burning the green forests to gray ash, choking the sweet springs of the land, and killing the denizens of the Light.

To destroy. To kill. To bring demise.

It filled the gaping holes in their hearts.

And for a while it was all they needed.

But like anything. There is always something more. Their desires were diverted. Yes... they thought that this was what they wanted, but it couldn't fill the void in their hearts. So instead they turned their sights on the one thing that they believed would make them complete. The relic entrusted to the Goddess. The Triforce.

A battle ensued.

He had lost.

But he still had the emptiness within him. And he would always carry it with him. For he never let go of his hatred. Not his hatred of the Goddess Hylia, nor of the Golden Goddesses. But his hate of himself. His hatred of not being able to be what he wanted. The hatred of always clinging desperately to the idea of perfection. His hatred of knowing that he shouldn't try to be perfect.

**/\**

But even worse than his hatred of not being able to be perfect.

Was knowing he didn't need to be, but trying anyway.

In a terrible cycle of self loathing.

* * *

_"This statue's one-eyed gaze pierces into your mind..."_

* * *

_**Why We Cannot Cry**_

You can hear us. You can see to us. You can speak to us.

Our words are now heard. Our eyes are always seeing. Our stories are now told.

What are we?

While none may care about the shadows of the dead, we will still speak.

We are the Goddess's chosen guardians. Since time began and this world existed we have existed.

The infinite darkness that absorbs even time is not Darkness, but Shadow. And Shadow has existed since before time began. It is easy to explain in feelings, but difficult to explain in words. Light has a feeling. And Darkness has a feeling. But Shadow... Shadows don't. Shadows don't have feelings. We desert our most basic of desires: to laugh, to live, to cry.

While this is true, not all who are from the Shadows are this way. Some lean toward the Light, entranced like a Wolfos and the Moon. And like the Wolfos they can never reach the light.

Others crave the Darkness, where the light shines the brightest.

And sometimes friends are the worst enemies.

We changed.

Time is merciless. All things must change.

This makes the task given to our tribe much more difficult, but all the more necessary. With change comes imbalance. The balance must be preserved. The rule of three.

But we contributed to the chaos. It is our greatest and last regret.

But we have no feeling. We cannot cry.

Silence.

******/\/\/\**

_Listen to us young one... _

_We... we have failed._

_Some of us committed unspeakable acts. No..._

_We committed unspeakable acts. We cannot shirk responsibility by claiming ignorance. If anything it makes us more responsible. Time is meaningless to the Shadow. Past, present, or future all crimes of our own are ours._

_The sorrow of the dead is carried in the eyes of our people. As well as their joy. The all-knowing eye of the Sheikah has been imbued with the unshed tears of our people. There is no resting place for our kind in the graveyard of those who served the Royal Family. Our duty is never done, so our souls may never rest. Instead our souls reside here, imparting knowledge to those who would listen. Telling all who would, for good or ill, about the Rule of Three._

_We followed the rule of three. Three tribes, three goddesses, three ways. But we are not a true part of the rule of three. We are the void. We are what fills the gap. What a sad fate we have been entrusted with._

_To crave the light that we seek to protect and yet destined to never attain it. Bordering on madness as we dance with the darkness. _

_And the human heart is easily led astray. _

_We sought to control the Triforce in our foolish attempt to save it. We caused a war that led to the deaths of thousands. We sacrificed our own. We condemned our own to a forsaken realm of shadows. And we exiled those who helped our fallen to the barren wasteland. _

_This is how we became one._

_This is why we belong nowhere._

_We can apologize, we can forgive, but we can't understand. We can't understand what it takes to become the light._

_Are we no better than the Darkness?_

_What are we?_

**~ { 0 }~**

_We..._

_We are the shadow..._

_born of darkness and light..._

_We are the... people from the shadows..._

_There is no sadness... as we let our bodies decay._

_There is no happiness... as we are not allowed to be laid to our final rest._

_As long as there is light and darkness, we will never die._

_We have chosen our duty to protect this land._

_We have chosen to come from the shadows._

_We have chosen to be in the shadows for all time._

**/\**

_We are the Sheikah._

_We have chosen our path_

_This why..._

_we cannot cry._

* * *

This series of stories called "From the Shadows" is almost over. Thank you so much for reading. I hope you enjoyed it. I will be starting a new project soon. What it will be I'm not sure yet, but if you're interested please check back. Again thank you so much for sticking with me all the way. If you have any questions, any at all please feel free to ask me.

-Marquard

_Boing-oing! Only 1 remaining!_


	35. There is Always More

_"The True Force to Govern All"_

* * *

_**There Is Always More**_

That is my duty.

To be ever present.

To make one.

**/\**

**/\/\**

* * *

The Shadows never truly die.

_Boing-oing! Only 0:00 remaining! But wait! What's this? Is there something more?_


	36. Afterword

"This is not an official chapter."

* * *

_**Afterword**_

Dear Reader,

If you're reading this before finishing all of the chapters I strongly encourage you stop now. This is extremely spoiler heavy and that's why I made it the afterword as opposed to the foreword. I intended this fanfiction to be read in whatever order, save for this chapter as it's not an official chapter. So if you haven't read everything else please go read it. If you continue reading something about the mystery will be lost.

I intend to explain in depth my thinking for this entire story. How's that for a way to kill the mystery. (For those of you readers who haven't read the entire story yet, but are still reading this is your last warning to stop reading). For the rest of you I suggest pulling up a second window with the associated chapter so you can look at both this and the story at the same time. Also this is going to be a very long chapter. Most likely longer than the entire official fanfiction itself.

* * *

_**Chapter Formatting**_

I put a lot of thought into the format. The format generally goes something like this.

* * *

_"Quote from the game"_

* * *

_**A Three-worded Title**_

Part 1 of the story.

**/\/\/\**

Part 2 of the story.

**~ { 0 } ~**

Part 3 of the story.

**/\**

Three lines.

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Author's note

_Gossip stone hint._

* * *

I've gotten a comment about my page breaks. And how the reviewer really liked how I did

**/\/\/\**

I wanted to do more detailed text art. But fanfiction has some issues with arrangement. Originally I wanted to make the actual Triforce, but that didn't work. So I settled for the one you see now. And it transformed in a way I wouldn't have been able to think of on my own.

Did you ever notice that when put together my page breaks look like something?

**/\/\/\**

**~ { 0 } ~**

**/\  
**

There was a Gossip Stone Hint that said "_The all-knowing eye is always watching. It's always there... in every chapter..." _

Now on to the chapter explanation and analysis.

* * *

_**Chapter 1: The Three Features**_

After some trial and error I settled for the old grandma telling a story. A little on Grandma's history.

At first Grandma was just that, a grandma telling a story. But after a while she had more of a back-story. She is a Sheikah living in Kakariko village. She was alive during the time that Bongo-Bongo was sealed in the well.

At the beginning of Part 2, Grandma says "dweller of the surface" I wanted her actual age to be ambiguous. I also wanted her to feel like she knew more than she would let on.

During Part 3. She says "But after many years of... research". Take note of the pause. She knows something.

This is made more apparent when she talks about how the power of the Three Features came at a terrible price but how that's a story for another day. And more when she calls the bottom of the well an "underground... research room". Again note the pause.

The creator of the Three Features (from here on just called The Creator or Bongo-Bongo) with the help of his two assistants created the Three Features. The Lens of Truth from one of his own eyes, the Mask of Truth from a Gossip Stone, and I have no idea for the Stone of Agony (it changed shape and ability for the re-release of OoT).

The Creator had essentially tortured and killed thousands in order to see his creations come to fruition. And he continued to do so in the name of researching methods to help in the fight against Darkness. However, he was falling deeper and deeper into darker magic until he was transformed into the invisible Bongo-Bongo. The kind of monster he had originally set out to destroy.

Like Grandma says, The Creator wasn't that bad of a guy in the beginning but he was consumed with his desire for progress.

This chapter has two companion chapters: Chapters 5 and 24. The numbers themselves have no special meaning, but the fact that they are separated has great importance. The... subjects of Chapters 5 and 24 are Bongo-Bongo's old assistants who helped him create the Three Features.

* * *

_**Chapter 2: The Dark's Rites**_

First a note on the title. This is a pun. In the Oracle Games Twinrova was trying to resurrect Ganon with three flames (Destruction, Sorrow, and Despair). This method was called The Dark Rites. But I wanted a pun on The Dark's Rights as in the Darkness has (Human) Rights too, in a way.

The subject is Twinrova. They like so many others were consumed with the desire for power. And they sought the Triforce. According to my thinking, I think Twinrova would have been alive during the Interloper war, which I attribute as the Hyrulian Civil War that happened before OoT. Not only that, but they assisted the Interlopers in their escape across the desert only to sacrifice them to the Sages for their own freedom. (Not only the Twinrova sisters but all of the Gerudo)

Twinrova are not Ganondorf's biological mothers, but his surrogate mothers. They seem crazy enough and power hungry enough to me to kill Ganondorf's biological mother and raise the boy themselves. That and I wanted to use the phrase "child's play" in relation to raising/getting Ganondorf.

Twinrova has a adamant hatred for those who "live in the Light" essetially anyone who is not a member of the Sheikah _(Note that for this story the Sheikah include the Gerudo, The Interlopers who later become the Twili, and the actual Sheikah who are the Royal Protectors of the family. This is not canon information and all theory) _

The end of part two where the Triforce rejects them is actually about when Ganondorf enters the Sacred Realm the first time in OoT (when Child Link opens the door to the Sacred Realm). The Triforce didn't come to them in whole. _(Note: In my thinking, the three groups of the Sheikah each served their own Goddess. The Gerudo faction serving Din, The Interlopers serving Nayru, and the Royal Protectors serving Farore)_

They kept going and _intentionally_ ran the city of Hyrule into the ground, just to prove that without the protection of the Shadows (AKA Sheikah) the world would fall into chaos.

* * *

_**Chapter 3: A Demon's Face**_

I received a few questions as to whether this chapter was about Majora's Mask or about the Fierce Deity Mask. It's about the Fierce Deity Mask. The beginning quote is always helpful to finding out about what the subject of the chapter is.

I also got a few questions about who the little child was: Skull Kid or the Moon Child. The answer is complicated. Originally he was going to be the Skull Kid, but I felt later that the Moon Child was more appropriate. Their personalities could arguably be similar as they are both playful children, but the Moon Child is much more... subdued. But it's so much more fun to bring in Majora's (the monster's) more playful nature in.

A lot of what the child says is what he or other Moon Children say in game.

The stump he's doing his performance on is actually the giant tree on the moon, but it's been cut down. Take that as you will. You can tell because he refers to Hyrule as The Surface, and not only that he talks about "the surface world below" as in literally below them.

However, this is where it gets tricky. I don't think that the Sheikah exist in the world of Termina. But I do think there is some correlation between the Stone Temple/Ancient Tribe and Hyrule as that's the only place in Termina where the Triforce appears. I do think that the Ancient Tribe might be the Terminian counterpart of the Interloper faction of the Sheikah.

Either way both of the Interlopers and the Ancient Tribe dabbled in evil magic. And the Ancient Tribe were able to create both Majora's Mask and the Fierce Deity mask. Here's where it gets kind of confusing in the story.

The child mentions the first hero. Which I wrote to mean the very first Link. And as the chapter "Of the Darkness" says you need a pure spirit to make the darkest artifacts. And here's where it gets kind of gross. But my thinking is that the Fierce Deity Mask is the First Link's face. And I mean that in the most literal way. Notice how he says "carved off a face". I mean that literally. Eww... But it was created with the intent to preserve the power of the first hero for later generations in order to fight back evil when there was no hero.

The Fierce Deity Mask could not be controlled by those who didn't have the spirit of the hero and the Mask ran rampant. (Maybe I'll write a story about this so I won't go into too much detail here. Sorry.)

* * *

_**Chapter 4: Beginning the End**_

After Chapter 3 I was feeling like this fanfiction was getting too dark. I didn't want the Shadows to keep being dark since they're not really Darkness. So that's how this chapter came into being.

First I have a confession to make. I haven't played Skyward Sword. Just researched it and watched endless videos of gameplay. So there are definite gaps in my Skyward Sword knowledge.

The reason this chapter fits into the series is because the narrator is Impa (the First Impa). There's nothing about conspiracy theories or dark magic or about how the Sheikah fell from power. It's just Impa being sad and lonely. It really captures the feeling I wanted for my depiction of the remainder of the Sheikah.

But her lines in-game really stuck with me. "You and I will meet again... See?" So I reused them a lot in later chapters as well.

Not much else to say a fairly straightforward chapter.

* * *

**_Chapter 5: House of the_ _Dead_**

All right, here's where we come back to Bongo-Bongo, the Well, the Dead Hands, and the Shadow Temple.

To me the Shadow Temple is not exactly a... spiritual place. More of a cultist sacrificial creepy torture house of dead, dying, and the undead. Ugh...

The All-Knowing Eye used to be called the Great Eye, but I later changed it to fit the rest of the story. It's the Sheikah Eye symbol for those of you who are confused.

Here's where it gets really gross and really confusing.

When the Sheikah group enter the cell in the Shadow Temple there is, and I quote, "a noise, almost like a hurried _tap-tap-tap _of fingernails across the floor."

That's from the perception of the group. It is in fact, most _definitely, _the sound of fingernails scurrying across the floor. Remember our good old friend the Floormaster? Those creepy undead hands that fly at you and try to grab you and practically eat you. And when you try to kill it, it turns into three smaller ones that turn into bigger ones if you don't kill them fast enough. Yeah... it's the sound of one of the small ones.

To make matters worse. "The faint skritching sound scuttling on the floor was immediately silenced. followed by the sound of teeth crunching on bone and a horrid slurping, sucking, and smacking sound."

Then the leader of the group steps forth and says "To think one of our leaders would stoop to eating rats."

To which he gets the reply, "There are no rats in this place..."

Process that for a minute. Floormaster on the floor making noises. Noises stop. Eating noises start. Comment about eating rats. Followed by the statement of there are no rats in the Shadow Temple. Add some green blood on the eater's teeth. And that he later hacks up a whole human fingernail during the conversation with the flippant comment of "My apologies... but you really should think of removing all the fingernails first. Terribly hard to get out of my teeth."

Yup. He did. He ate it. "Whatever had been consumed... had probably died long ago."

This starving soul who ate a Floormaster is one of the assistants of the Creator. He was arrested by the rest of the Sheikah for performing taboo/dark magic. He's been in here since Bongo-Bongo started running rampant. By this point Bongo-Bongo has been sealed. Let's just say he's been in that cell for a while.

He's also been extensively tortured for information. " 'Here to... _ask _for my help?' It rubbed the scars that laced its body with thin nail-less fingers..."

The group of Sheikah members inform him he is to be reused in one of his own ghastly experiments. _(Note that the taboo horrible experiments are still going on!) _The assistant is made into a Dead Hand. In my opinion one of _the_ most scary and pitiable creatures in the Zelda universe. To which he only responds that as long as he doesn't become a Floor Master, he's ok.

This assistant embodies the thinking of the Interlopers. That the Sheikah are expendable. A source of shame for Hyrule. Something to be hidden away. That they don't have an existence. That the Sheikah are not shadows, but nothingness. (And he's kind of right in a way so the Sheikah group can't say anything, plus it's probably something they've all thought before as well).

Then as the group begins to leave "The prisoner grabbed the bars, scrabbling with nail-less fingers..."

Note that he has no nails.

And then look at the last sentence of the second "line" of Part 4. "The nail-less hands were amputated to be used for raw material./ At least the fingernails wouldn't get caught in anyone's teeth this time."

I'm also thinking about making a short story on the Creator and his assistants.

* * *

_**Chapter 6: Of the Darkness**_

The in-game quote is a quote from Navi's comment on Dark Link, but I just opted to omit some words. Or most of them.

This is supposed to be some kind of short introductory guide on how to create life. If you read the _Like the Goddesses_ section of Chapter 35 you'll see that Demise (like Ganondorf) was able to create life in the form of all the monsters you have to later fight as Link. But it's not really life life like the Goddesses created. So this chapter is about the method on how to make monsters... I suppose.

This chapter is also supposed to be about Dark Link and Shadow Link and how they are different. For a clearer explanation its easier to just go to the Zelda wiki and read about it there.

But this is the first time I decided to make distinction between Shadow and Darkness, which in the end became a major theme in this series.

* * *

_**Chapter 7: Without Any**_** _Mercy_**

This was by far the most fun chapter to write. Ghirahim is just so great. He's so flamboyant and ridiculous that I can pull out all the stops in writing. Enough of that.

Not much to say other than Ghirahim avoids the question about Fi and the Master Sword and his relation to them simply because I don't know what to think myself. It's like Ghirahim says, it's the Cucco and the egg. Although, he does reveal that a group of Sheikah have come to him either to fight him or to extract information. And that the others of the group have all been killed.

Perhaps the listener is actually a member of the Interloper faction, or just wants to know more about dark magic, it's not really clear. Either way, the listener has most certainly had their tongue ripped out. _(Note: All members of the in-game Sheikah have been female so gender is occasionally left ambiguous when referring to the in-story Sheikah)_

* * *

_**Chapter 8: Shhhh...**_

Ah this chapter... what can I say? It was late, I was tired and sleep-deprived and updating every day back then. I wrote this based off the line. "It's a secret to everybody."

But it really does highlight the fact that not everyone who's on the side of evil or from the shadows is bad. That it's possible that they are just misunderstood. The moblin in the original Zelda game would give you rupees if you could find him in the right caves. And he would tell you it was a secret from everyone.

It really is more a gag chapter for those hardcore fans of Zelda. Yeah...

* * *

_**Chapter 9: Speakers of the Dead**_

Not to be confused with the book "Speaker of the Dead".

The ridiculous block of text in Part 1 of this chapter was really hard to write. I had pulled quotes from Gerudo, Sheikah, Gossip Stones, and Twili to make it. And I changed all pronouns to "we", "us", or "they". So instead of the quote from Impa in Skyward Sword :"You and I will surely meet again someday", you get "They and I will surely meet again someday." And to top it off I threw in random lines of jumbled nonsense that call for the reader to listen to them.

I imagine the Gossip Stones must always be saying something, calling out for someone to listen to them so that they can pass on their knowledge. I also think that instead of the Kakariko Graveyard the Sheikah are buried at the Gossip Stones. (More on that in another story to come). So in addition to constantly being ignored you've got thousands of other voices on top of yours all vying to be heard. Makes the voices in the Gossip Stone go a little crazy if you can't tell.

Part 2 is just like that for an echoing effect.

Part 3 is part of a three part puzzle. A very easy puzzle, but took forever for me to get it right. That one, I'll leave to you to figure out. There's plenty of hints scattered about. Like I said it's an easy puzzle. (For the answer see the section on Chapter: 27)

This is also where my first idea for the "We cannot cry". I was just writing and I kept thinking and wondering why sometimes a symbol that looks like the Sheikah eye appears in some places in Zelda games, but it usually lacks the teardrop. So I took that to mean that the official non-dark Sheikah took it upon themselves to protect the light always, no matter their personal feelings. Hence, even if they want to they cannot cry for the things they must do. But the Interloper Sheikah thought differently and removed the tear meaning that they could cry whenever they wanted so they didn't need a symbolically crying tear. (Again more on that in another story).

Also this is where the Rule of Three really officially started. In Zelda there are three goddesses, three tribes (aside from Hylian) Kokiri, Zora, Goron, three spiritual stones, three, three, three.

And there are six sages. As for the seven and nine sage theory, I hold to the idea that there are actually nine sages in Zelda. So nine is also an important number. 3x2 = 6 and 3x3 = 9. You get the idea.

That's why this fanfiction has a Gossip stone chapter for Chapter 9, 18, and 27. (And also why the story has unofficially 36 chapters.)

* * *

_**Chapter 10: A Final Request**_

People really seemed to enjoy this chapter. I changed the storytelling style a bit. Italics are for actions, where normal type font is for the man's speech.

_Spoiler Alert_

_Oh and by the way, congrats to all of you who got that he was Link. He's the Link of the Child Timeline after the OoT split. Where Link has technically saved Hyrule and returned to Hyrule as a child, but nobody knows that he saved the world. He keeps it to himself and goes traveling. And eventually turns into the Hero's Shade._

_End Spoiler Alert_

He is actually kind of bitter about everything, I have to say. He died in some kind of battle. Presumably to help Hyrule and become a hero again (at least in my version). I'm actually thinking that I might do a story about him too. It'd be interesting. Just a short story.

Either way, the future Hero's Shade kind of blames the Sheikah for not fulfilling their role as Hyrule's Royal Protectors. So he is talking to a Sheikah and begging the Sheikah to turn him into the Hero's Shade so that he might help Hyrule even in death.

However, later he wants to confirm that everything that happened during OoT wasn't a lie, so he asks the listener. The listener responds that it really did happen. But whether this particular Sheikah knows if it's true or not remains to be seen. He is also made into an honorary member of the Sheikah (again just in my imagination), hence his glowing red eye in Hero Shade form. Again more in the short story to come.

* * *

_**Chapter 11: The Demanding Winds**_

The previous chapter introduced the idea that the Sheikah can make someone a member of the Sheikah. At least a semi-member. And it's symbolized through red eyes. Some kinda physical image changing magic (think Zelda's Sheik disguise).

The Minish boy is Vaati. A young Vaati. And the Master Minish is Ezlo. He just finished making the Picori Blade and to give the new Hylia (AKA the First Zelda) a piece of the Triforce (called the Light Force in the game).

Ezlo reveals that Vaati's appearance has started to change. Pale skin, red eyes, etc. And that Vaati is copying someone else's style. To which Vaati reveals to the reader is his _true_ master. Ezlo continues to reveal that the person is "the desert boy. The one from the Sh-" before Vaati tunes him out.

But essentially Vaati learned more about dark magic from a member of the Sheikah (again at least in my thinking and after a bit of research and for a reason to tie in Vaati to the theme of the Sheikah. A bit of a stretch but meh)

He also solidified my idea to have the Interloper/Dark magic users of the Sheikah have a tear-less eye symbol, since Vaati's clothes and monster form look suspiciously like the Sheikah eye.

* * *

_**Chapter 12: A Sales Pitch**_

Ah... the Happy Mask Salesman. Something got lost in the translation from my imagination to the text. Mainly his super angry face when he finds out you don't have money to pay for the mask.

The mask he's trying to sell is the Spooky Mask. I've told you about my theory that Dead Hands were created through Dark Magic by the Interloper/Mage faction of the Sheikah. (If not, then now I have) I figured why not Redeads too? Creepy things that they are they would definitely fit the undead theme going on there.

Most of the descriptions about the monster come from the zelda wiki, research, or my own observations playing the game.

Oh the Happy Mask Salesman... he was fun to write too...

* * *

_**Chapter 13: A Forgiving Wind**_

A story about how The King of Hyrule faced the oncoming monsters in Hyrule before it was sunk. The Sheikah protectors of the Royal Family were there as well. While it's said that the Goddesses took pity on the people of Hyrule and sent the flood as a countermeasure to Ganon's coming evil minions. I thought that the correlation to Guru-Guru, the Windmill, and the Song of Storms would be more appropriate and give the Sheikah a bigger role.

So by my thinking the Sheikah mages summoned the storm using something like the Song of Storms. It seems to be a common thing that music has power. (Zelda's Lullaby, Song of Time, Song of Healing, Sun's Song all have some kind of effect and were created by those who didn't use or couldn't use a magic instrument like the Ocarina of Time).

There was some confusion about the King's relationship to the servants. Someone thought that the Sheikah servants betrayed the King and meanly shoved him down the stairs. But they did that to keep him safe from the oncoming monsters. Unfortunately, this means that the poor King as all alone in the end.

* * *

_**Chapter 14: A Side Business**_

This chapter was a response to a reviewers request to have a chapter on the Village of the Blue Maiden. I couldn't find too much to connect it to the Sheikah theme, but then I found the mages. I suppose I made it a little too ambiguous since no one seemed to get that this is the fortune-telling mage who steals your money from the same game (LoZ: FSA)

She likes money, what can I say? She's got quite a bit of a personality on her as well. The fortune teller is a member of the Interloper/Mage Sheikah and is talking to a Sheikah who is from the Royal Family Protectors from the castle. The Royal Protector Sheikah is trying to find out why the Interloper Sheikah mages knew where the missing children had gone but did nothing about it.

By this point Vaati is a powerful sorcerer and has gained much renown among the Interloper section of the Sheikah, many of which call him Master. The fortune teller also reveals that the Royal Protector Sheikah knows that the Interloper Sheikah are using dark and unspeakable magic to create some of the magical items that they use to protect Hyrule from monsters, but isn't doing anything about it.

* * *

_**Chapter 15: A Better Soldier**_

Ah this one has a companion chapter as well (Chapter 22: Never the Same). More on that later.

But this chapter is about the Iron Knuckle. It's a well-known fact that Nabooru was trapped and made to animate an Iron Knuckle in OoT. It's a lesser known fact that inside all Iron Knuckles are Gerudo women, which you can see if you place your camera just right.

So I got to thinking who would make Gerudos into Iron Knuckles and for what purpose. Twinrova.

There are several Armos and other animated suits of armor that inhabit various Temples in Hyrule. But few so imposing as the Iron Knuckle. I thought that since Hyrule in my story depends on the Sheikah for protection, why not protection of the temples as well?

And so the Royal Family of Hyrule began ordering better soldiers to guard the palace, temples, and various other places of importance. Again the methods to making the Iron Knuckles and animated suits of armor are not the most pleasant, using raw materials in the form of people.

So they created the first Iron Knuckle using the strongest Gerudo at the time. Their own Exalted One. The narrator of Chapter 22. Hence all the parallels, which I'll get to in the Chapter 22 section.

* * *

_**Chapter 16: Our Self Reflection**_

Again a pun in the title. Self-reflection versus Reflection of the self kind of meaning. The chapter is supposed to be the Queen of Twilight telling her children about the reason their ancestors were banished, but her children are a little too young to fully understand what she's talking about.

The narrator talks of how their ancestors (The Interlopers) felt too much. This is in direct contrast with my usual depiction of the Sheikah (who aren't or can't feel anything) because the Interlopers threw away the idea that they should feel things.

This is where the feeling of emptiness motif really got kickstarted.

The Sheikah (collectively) protected the Light and the emptiness in their hearts was filled. Then the Interloper section tried to take the Triforce, failed, and were chased across Hyrule by the Sages/People of the Light for trying to take the Triforce for their own. They ran across Hyrule to the Desert with the help of the Gerudo faction (before they were called Gerudos). But the Sages/Royal Guard/Royal Protector Sheikah caught up with them and banished the Interlopers to the Twilight Realm. This all takes place during the Hylian Civil War before OoT.

The Gerudo faction lived in the desert already to train themselves for harsh conditions, but were permanently exiled to the desert and ordered to close off their gates. (More on this in Chapter 22 section)

* * *

**_Chapter 17: The All-Knowing Eye_**

This is Impa (one that we never see) from before the Great Flood in the Wind Waker talking to Princess Zelda in the Sacred Chamber below the statue of Link.

Essentially she tells Zelda the same story that the Queen of Twilight told her own children during the last chapter. But she also brings up the question of whether or not the Master Sword will reject her as she is a being from the shadows which is akin to Darkness.

Here's where the history of the Sheikah comes in. Before they were a large group, consisting of three tribes: the Gerudo faction who served Din, the Interloper/Mage faction who served Nayru, and the Royal Protectors who serve Farore.

But when the Interlopers tried to take the Triforce for their own, the Sages, the Hyrule guards, and the Royal Protectors fought them and chased them across Hyrule.

The Gerudo faction who felt sympathetic toward the Interloper faction helped them escape across the desert. But the Light side caught up with the interlopers, banishing the Interloper faction and exiling the Gerudo to the desert. Severing all ties with the two groups.

This dwindled the number of the Sheikah significantly, not to mention the casualties from the actual war part.

_Note: The Impa in this chapter does not cry, but she so desperately wants to. Which is noticed by the little Princess Zelda._

* * *

_**Chapter 18: Watchers of the Living**_

Again this is a companion chapter of chapter 9 and 27. This chapter was accidentally posted after Chapter 19, and was later fixed.

This follows the theme of the three monkeys: hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil.

For more information see the Chapter 9 section.

* * *

_**Chapter 19: His New Friends**_

Accidentally posted as Chapter 18 and was later fixed.

A story about a little boy who turns into a Skull kid and makes some friends with the four giants.

The boy is originally from Kakariko village and a Sheikah to boot. He's being chased by another Skull Kid in the beginning of the chapter. There's also an allusion to the Flute boy in some of the other game, but no direct correlation.

The path he takes through the forest is based directly off the same path that Link used to get to Termina in Majora's Mask.

In this story, the giants weren't always so big and were once normal sized kids, at least until they grew up.

I really enjoyed the weirdness of the Majora's Mask game and the way they mess with time. So I decided to do the same thing. As Skull Kid and his new friends progress closer and closer to the Clock Tower entrance, time is changing. At first the boy tells him that they're playing hide-and-go-seek, but he's been lost for so long that the other must have surely returned to town.

The second boy tells him that after he got lost the bridge connecting the two platforms was gone and rotted away. This indicates that time has indeed passed, and a lot of it.

But when they find the third boy in the next area the bridges are still intact, if maze like. And they finally reach the exit under the clock tower and the doors shut behind them, relieved that they finally made it out from that place after so long. But strangely enough the fourth boy is still standing there and only just reaching the end of his counting.

Time is a strange thing.

* * *

_**Chapter 20: For the Light**_

Another exposition chapter about the history of the Sheikah and how they were assigned to protect the Light and keep balance with the Darkness. While being lost as to what they are themselves. Not much else to add here except that it also brings in a lot more metaphors and examples as to what the role of the light, darkness, and shadows is.

* * *

_**Chapter 21: Lost Too Long**_

The return of Grandma. This time she tells you a story about Skull Kid and the Lost Woods... yeah that's kind of it. Although... she might not be Grandma, but Grandma's grandchild.

* * *

_**Chapter 22: Never the Same**_

Again a companion chapter to Chapter 15.

Parallel paradise here. From actions to words. I can't even begin to highlight them all here. A few are:

"Don't give us such a pitiful look. You're shaming the name of the shadows."

or

"You've really fallen haven't you? The protective spells aren't even running right now. Can't even do anything about these little trinkets." vs. "We've really fallen, haven't we? Can't even do anything about a little piece of paper."

or how they cup the captive prisoner's face in their hands forcing the captive to look at them vs. cupping the Exalted One's face in their hands to look at her and comfort her.

There are more in there I promise. But here you get to see a stark contrast between the Twinrova that presents themselves to those they care about and those they don't. Although strangely enough the captive and the Exalted one are the same person.

Also some confusion about the Exalted one's identity: whether she is Nabooru or if her daughter is Nabooru. The answer is... I have no idea myself. Thinking about the timeline it could be Nabooru, but I've never heard of her having a dauger. Although she could've just been killed. On the other hand the daughter could be Nabooru, but then Nabooru would be pretty darn young seeing as this chapter takes place about ten years before the start of Ocarina of Time. In short, take your pick.

* * *

_**Chapter 23: When Darkness Falls**_

A chapter about Zant. And how he views the world of Twilight. Nothing but gray. This falls in direct contrast with a later chapter (Chapter 26).

This was taken from an idea for an original story that I had written a long time ago, maybe in 2005. So it predates my knowledge of the Twilight Realm. I'm glad I could put it to good use though.

It talks about how Zant knows the history of the Twili and why they are there. He feels frustrated that no one else seems to care about the injustices visited upon them. And how he feels that the Twili have served their time and now are waiting for a chance in the light. After which, he comes in contact with Ganon who speaks the last three lines of the chapter to Zant.

Also an allusion to the Allegory of the Cave. Go check it out.

* * *

_**Chapter 24: Right Hand Man**_

The last installment of the Bongo-Bongo arc. There are a lot of similarities between the Shadow Temple and the Bottom of the Well. But to me the Bottom of the Well seems more like a "I brought work home with me!" Or "It's just a hobby" kind of torture place as opposed to the Shadow Temple.

And it's here that this chapter takes place. The second dead head was the right hand man of the Creator of the Three Features. There are a lot of parallels in description in Part 1 of this chapter and Part 1 of Chapter 1, as well as descriptive text of the Shadow Temple in Chapter 5.

The crazy laughter... ah... yes...

Crazy text is crazy. Also there was supposed to be 333 letters in all of the crazy laughter or something along those lines. Yes I counted them when I typed it out. I'm not about to do it again. If you feel so inclined to count them for me let me know how many letters there are . I can't remember if I included the laughter in part 2 though.

The laughter in part two is supposed to look like the Sheikah's All=Knowing Eye symbol. Kind of hard to tell. I wanted to make it bigger, but it got too complicated.

The crazy writing is a kind of letter to the rest of the Sheikahs.

The ones mention in the Gossip Stone Hint are actually a small section of the Interlopers, which is why it says they were "sent to the underworld... to a world of shadows."

Again the appearance of the Speak no evil, See no evil, Hear no evil. There's actually an extended version of that saying. But that's an extra thing, more on that later.

* * *

**_Chapter 25: The Great Balance_**

A chapter about the Triforce. And the beginning of the application of the Rule of Three in relation to Hyrule.

The narrator is a Sheikah. Of which group? From the Interlopers section. I wanted to show how at first they were not "evil", but as the chapter progresses you can see how the weight of their burden was too much for them to bear. That and the lack of recognition for what they (the Sheikah) do by those who "live in the Light". (A slight parallel to the Hero's Shade in the Chapter: A Final Request) And their final downward spiral into power-hungry obsession and the mentality that they deserve the power of the Triforce.

There are a few recycled words here that were used in the Gossip Stone puzzle in chapters 9, 18, and 27. With "We cannot cry" being the most obvious. And some parallels with chapter 35's list of things that were created in threes.

* * *

_**Chapter 26: Live for us**_

This was sad chapter to me. One of the saddest if I have to say.

It's a chapter about the Sacred Realm and what it's like. It's a bit of a parallel to Zant's chapter about the Twilight (Chapter 23) There is also a lot of parallels to the six chapters about the creation of Hyrule, which is told from the point of view of the three Goddesses.

The speaker is a deceased Sheikah who tells a story about what the Sacred Realm is like. For even in death, the Sacred Realm is an unattainable dream for their kind.

* * *

**_Chapter 27: Listen to Those Passed_**

The last of the Gossip Stone chapters, and as promised here is the answer to the puzzle.

Every third word is missing, if you put the three sections together you get.

_Our people rest below the ground, quiet and watchful. _

_They gather useful information even in death. _

_The all-seeing eye of the Sheikah, heedless of the past, present, or future. _

_Time is meaningless to the shadow. _

_While the time of the ancients has come and gone, and their mortal forms are at rest, it is only the beginning. _

_The sorrow of the dead is carried in all the eyes of our people. _

_What you see here now is nothing more than a tomb, the grave for the sleeping souls as they rest. _

_There now exists an artifact, with which you can heed my words. _

_An enchanted face, carved with the emblem of our people. _

_If you wear this face you can learn new information from the souls of those long past. _

_The creation of this terrible face was something unforseen by our kind. _

_But even the wise are not all-knowing. _

_While we lament the methods with which this face was created, we cannot look away from the great power that the artifact holds. _

_The knowledge we will impart to you will hold a great and terrible power if not used with the utmost care. _

_The secrets of the land lie in the power of the three. _

_Be it the power of the three goddesses or the three evils. _

_The power of the three has the ability to alter the course of the world. _

_My people have placed their hope with the light and trust that they will bring about the true golden era. _

_But should they fail there are far too many willing and waiting to lead us to our demise. _

_We cannot allow all that is good to perish into the darkness. _

_So my people have endeavored to continue to watch from the shadows, even in death. _

_We, the Sheikah, have performed this sacred duty since time immemorial. _

_We watch over the great light of the Triforce and stand as the first gate between the darkness and the light. _

_We are the shadow, born of darkness and light. _

_We are condemned to the shadows for all eternity, craving the light and life that we seek to protect. We border on madness as we dance with the darkness. _

_Our people were once part of the great power of three. _

_Three tribes worked harmoniously to form the Sheikah. _

_One for each goddess of the Triforce. _

_The people now known as the Gerudo, were once a proud people that served the mighty goddess Din. _

_They sought to protect the realm with their great strength. _

_The people now known as the Twili, were once a great people who embraced the darkness as they worked in the name of Nayru to bring light to the world. _

_The people now known as the Protectors of the Royal Family,were once courageous warriors who sought to elevate the light where the darkness could not reach. _

_These three tribes made up what is collectively known as the Sheikah. _

_But the human heart is easily led astray. _

_It wanders from the path, weaving from side to side. _

_For hundreds of thousands of years our people have wandered._

_We have been lost in the great plains of the heart. _

_But in our struggle, we have made a wide path for others to follow. _

_Our colors are the deepest and most vibrant, even though we are limited in choice. _

_We are the children of the shadows. _

_The outcasts of the light and the dark. _

_We belong nowhere. _

_We desert our most basic of desires: to laugh, to live, to cry. _

_From the beginning, we have been forsaken by all, and yet risk everything to protect those who have forsaken us. _

_Under the endless sky we are the ones who have to power to help the realm survive and thrive, or to lead to its utter and terrible destruction. _

_Now go forth, my children. _

_The legends will speak for themselves. _

_For we are the people of the shadows. _

_While my kind are no longer part of this world, we do not let death stand in our path. _

_There is no sadness as we let our bodies decay. _

_We are not gone from this world, for we are the shadows._

_As long as there is light and there is darkness, the shadows will always exist. _

_We have chosen our duty to protect this land from the pull of darkness. So do not cry, my child. _

_We are the Sheikah._

___We cannot cry..._

This was the biggest pain in the butt to write. I can't even begin to explain. Not only that, but its execution was even worse.

Also have you noticed? That Chapters 9, 18, and 27 all have four-worded titles.

Also as to the saying of the three monkeys. We all know "See no evil, Hear no evil, Speak no evil". But there is a lesser known fourth part to the saying "Do no evil". This is important.

* * *

_**Chapter 28: How it Began**_

The first in the Creation arc. This tells the story of the Three Goddesses and their thought process when they were making Hyrule.

Part 1 consists of a timeline going in backwards order for all the different timelines. Past even the existence of Time. Shadows for me represent nothingness. Darkness is thick and heavy. Light is soft and warm. But Shadow is just nothing. No feeling. Hence why the Shadow People (the Sheikah) don't have feelings. (I like puns, can you tell?)

There is a lot of Fi's speaking patterns in Part 3 from the ending scene with her in Skyward Sword.

Also in Part 4 there is an allusion to what the title of the next chapter will be. "Before we knew the feeling of emptiness" is the first line of Part 4, and the next chapter is called "Filled with Emptiness". (I can't tell if I'm clever or just lazy. I'm opting for lazy.)

* * *

_**Chapter 29: Filled with Emptiness**_

Ha ha ha... this chapter...

Part 2 was supposed to be how it feels empty. But fanfiction won't let me just put thousands upon thousands of empty space in the story. So you just get an ellipse (one of these "...")

Notice also at the end of Part 3 they Goddesses keep saying "We don't even have something to measure how late we are. How long we haven't known." What they're referring to is that Time doesn't exist.

* * *

_**Chapter 30: Desire to Create**_

At first the speaker is all three goddesses, who refer to themselves as "we", but after a bit it changes to "I". This "I" is Din speaking.

I wanted to capture the feeling of creating a world from scratch. The twists and turns and amazing things that can be done, as well as the level of detail that has to go into creating a world (or at least a functioning world).

Also the format of this chapter is rather unique. The shape of the text in Part 2 directly reflects the type of thing Din is making. The part describing flat land are all the same length. The part about the chasms is filled with short words. The part about cliffs suddenly becomes longer. The hills section slowly grows in length until it spikes at the mountain line. And so on.

* * *

**_Chapter 31: To Establish Order_**

Next up is Nayru's chapter. Each thing she creates not only has an opposite, but a third piece to complete the Rule of Three and it also functions as a transitional. For example: Twilight, Day, and Night; Shadow, light, and darkness; etc.

After the creation of night and day, the Goddesses realize that there is the presence of Time. In the end of the Twilight, Day, and Night section in Part 2 Nayru says "And the Twilight to allow this endless cycle of time to continue. Oh my... when did that happen? It was certainly not my own doing."

And later in the end of Part 3 all the Goddesses comment "We now have something to measure how late we are. How long we haven't known. But when did we get such a thing?"

The Author's note in this section functions more like the Gossip Stone Hint since the Gossip Stone is now stuck in countdown mode. But the idea is that Time started ticking when the Goddesses realized their existence was empty.

* * *

**_Chapter 32: Gift of Life_**

Farore's turn. Life on the sea, life in the sky, and life on land. Yeah. She likes the forest a lot. And colors she likes colors too, especially green.

Actually all of the goddesses like colors. They especially like their respective colors (Red: Din, Blue: Nayru, Green: Farore)

Writing this chapter really really made me want to go outside and sit under a tree.

And the last bit of Part 3 is a bit of an Author musing in there. The Goddesses wonder why they are feeling sad. "We know what this feeling is now... Had we known that creating could be so tantalizing we would have created something before... We didn't know that completing it would be so... bittersweet. It's everything we could have imagined and more. And yet..."

It does feel bittersweet to finish this. I'm notoriously bad at completing things. This might be the first thing I've ever completed. It's kind of sad.

* * *

**_Chapter 33: Our Sad Regret_**

This chapter might be more Author insert happening, but it's about how the Goddesses feel sad that its time to leave the world of Hyrule. They have done what they came to do and their power is exhausted. Whether or not they have no more power, or they just need to rest is debatable.

And the reappearance of the First Impa's quote from Skyward Sword as well as a bit of Fi mixed in there.

"May we meet again in another life.

No...

We will sure meet again someday."

I really did like those lines. And it just fit so well.

Did you notice the difference in Part 4? Here it is again.

* * *

**/\**

_Before we knew happiness._

_Before there was light, darkness, and shadow._

_There is nothing._

_And yet, there will always be something more._

* * *

If you said there are more than three lines good for you! If you noticed it before reading this, you get bonus points.

There is also a hint in the Author's note (again because the Gossip Stone Hint is currently indisposed with the countdown). There has always been a paradox in the presentation in the Rule of Three.

* * *

**_Chapter 34 (Part 1): On Our Own_**

Since this is a chapter with three chapters inside I'll be doing this in parts.

Part 1 in On Our Own is the Goddesses speaking their final goodbye to the people of Hyrule.

This part is about Hylia and how she and the people of Hyrule are now left to fend for themselves without the help of the Goddesses. While the goddesses did leave the power of the Triforce behind in the care of the Goddess Hylia, it's pretty much useless because she can't use it. Hence why the people of Hyrule are "On [their] own".

**_Chapter 34 (Part 2): Like the Goddesses_**

This title is supposed to be about how Demise is like the Goddesses and is_ trying to b_e like the Goddesses. He is like them because he feels an emptiness, the same kind the Goddesses felt when the realized they were surrounded by nothing. And he constantly tries to be like them by creating things.

I thought this part was a little haphazard, but I imagined how Demise created so many monsters of Darkness. And if I take into account that a Dark world wasn't created by the Goddesses it must have been created by something that they created. So in essence, Demise gave the Darkness a physical form/place through trying to create another Sacred Realm. But because he couldn't use the magic/power of the Goddesses (which Hylia had) he could only make sad imitations.

Again more Author musing in here about natural talent and how some people are really good a making art or writing or baking or sports or whatever, and it comes so naturally to them. But for people who try their hardest they can't seem to do it. And about how it's because they're trying their hardest to do it right that they can't do it right. Kind of like they're so wound up that they can't enjoy what they're doing.

_**Chapter 34 (Part 3): Why We Cannot Cry**_

This is another Gossip Stone-esque chapter. But this is from neither the Light nor the Darkness, but from the Shadow. Hence the four-worded title.

It also is the first time in the story that the "we cannot cry" is used by the Sheikah.

Essentially, since before everything Nothing existed. This is where the feeling pun from the chapter 28 section comes in.

A lot of lines from the puzzle and from the wall of text in Chapter 9, 18, and 27 are in here. Check the Chapter 27 section if you want to see them all. Warning there are a lot.

The idea here is that the Sheikah are not truly part of the rule of three, but are the presence of the paradox of the rule of three. There is a rumor about something called the Tetraforce. This has been refuted by Nintendo many times, but I really liked how the idea fit in with my story. Within the Triforce there exist three golden triangles, and a fourth triangle made up of the space between the golden triangles. Read more about it on the zelda wiki if you want.

The Tetraforce fit in with my idea that the Shadows are the void/nothingness. There is a flaw in my usage of the Tetraforce theory however. If I use the Four-part theory then Shadow cannot be included in the Rule of Three: Light, Darkness, and Shadow. So that means something else has to take the place of Shadow, but I don't know what. Possibly Time? No idea.

* * *

**_Chapter 35: There is Always More_**

This is kind of a little pun on my part. It's partially about the 36th chapter (this chapter) and about how the fanfiction is officially finished, but it's not really finished. Hence "there is always more".

Next, it also illustrates that "there is always more" stuff, clues, hints, and little things buried in the chapters themselves. If you want a full-blown detailed explanation of each chapter feel free to message me. Yes, believe it or not this is the abridged version.

Finally, and more importantly, it is used to hint at the idea of the Tetraforce. Now some of you may know about the Tetra force. How there's a theory that there exists a fourth piece of the Triforce, where the downward facing gap exists currently. I must note that NINTENDO HAS DENIED ANY SUCH FOURTH PIECE! The claim that there are only three pieces. That's it. But for me I really liked the idea.

Not about an actual fourth piece, but about the negative space between the three. I thought it fit well with the theme of this fanfiction. I'm going to paste an excerpt of a message I sent to a reviewer about this.

_"Think of it like this. The actual Triforce pieces represent the Light. The space around it looks dark by comparison to the shiny golden light of the Triforce, and that represents the Darkness. While the space enclosed by the Triforce is the Shadows who aren't a part of the Light, but they aren't part of the Darkness either. It is always present and helps define the shape of the Triforce (Light) from the background (Darkness)."_

__I hope that helps. I also believe strongly in the idea that there does in fact exist a Goddess of Time, but the Three Golden Goddesses (Din, Nayru, and Farore) aren't even aware of her existence at first. But she has been there since the three goddesses started to think/move/take action/feel, because that is when Time began (for Hyrule anyway).

* * *

_**Chapter 36: Afterword**_

Congratulations! You made it through the entire Afterword. That was long. I thank you once again Reader. I hope that I have answered any questions that you might have had about the content of the chapters. I also hope that I haven't killed the mystery of it for you as much as I think I have. Also, there are a few more things in there that are kind of interesting, if you look for them you might find them. But they're not integral to the (semi)plot of this story. In the end the (semi)plot of this story was more like a big theory that I wanted to put on paper.

I've generated a lot of ideas for another story so I guess I'll start working on those next. But that isn't to say that this story will really die. I'll be constantly editing this whenever I open up the fanfiction website. So if you ever have any questions, comments, or concerns about this series of stories please feel free to message me or leave a review, and I'll get to you ASAP.

Thanks again for reading.

It really is bittersweet. But I plan to write something new! So check back again soon. To all of you who have followed, favorited, reviewed, or messaged me I will take it upon myself to inform you through private messages when I have uploaded my new work. I'll send you a more detailed summary and you can choose whether or not you want to read it.

* * *

From the Shadows is officially completed.

_Boing-oing! _

_There is always more._

_Boing-oing!__  
_


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